TUSCAN OLIVE & PEPPERS TORTELLINI SALAD
1 family-sized package (about 20 oz) tortellini (mine was cheese & spinach), cooked per package instructions ~ drained but not rinsed
about 8 oz. prepared olive salad (the kind that has little cubes of feta) ~or~ prepared Cabrese salad mix (with little balls of mozzarella) from grocery store salad or deli bar
Additional add-ins:
Kalamata olives, pitted.....................................black olives (cut in half)
pepperoncini.....................................................thinly sliced sweet white onion
thinly sliced mini sweet peppers (I used 1 red & 1 orange)
capers................................................................fresh chopped HERBS (parsley, oregano, basil, rosemary)
about 8-10 cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
Dressing:
The oil in the olive salad is the major portion of your dressing ~ but then I added:
about 1 TB extra-virgin olive oil........................2 white Balsamic vinegar
2 TB plain white vinegar....................................2 tsp Kosher, sea or pink Himalayan salt
1-2 tsp. crushed or cracked red pepper
(NOTE: If you don't have enough liquid in your olive salad, you can just use about 1/4 cup total Caesar salad dressing)
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Put the liquid from the olive salad (and/or whatever else you're using as a salad dressing) in the bottom of a large serving bowl. Add the warm, cooked & drained tortellini ~ gently toss to coat well. Then add the rest of the ingredients and gently toss (I use my rubber scraper) until the pasta salad is thoroughly mixed. You can serve it right away at room temperature or chill to serve later.