Tortellini Olive Salad

INGREDIENTS

1 (20-ounce) bag cheese tortellini
1 English cucumber, cut into quarters and sliced
16 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped pepperoncini’s
1 (6.0-ounce) can black olives, drained and halved
8 ounces fresh mozzarella balls, cut into bite size pieces
8 ounces salami, chopped
DRESSING
1/2 cup light tasting olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

####SIKI####

How to make it
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook tortellini according to directions on the package.  Drain and set add to a large serving bowl.
Meanwhile, combine dressing ingredients in a pint size mason jar. Seal and shake vigorously. Pour half of the dressing over the warm pasta and toss to combine.
Add the remaining salad ingredients to the bowl and toss until well coated. If serving immediately then toss with remaining dressing. If serving the next day then cover and refrigerate and wait until you are ready to serve the salad before tossing with remaining dressing.
COOK'S NOTES
It is important to not overcook your tortellini otherwise it will fall apart when tossed.
After pasta is rinsed and drained, immediately add it to a large bowl then toss it with half of the dressing to keep it from sticking.
This Salad is excellent the next day. When making ahead, use 1/2 of the dressing when preparing the salad and reserve the remaining dressing to pour over the salad before you serve it.
For the mozzarella, I prefer to use fresh mozzarella balls, cut into bite size pieces. If this mozzarella is too expensive or you don’t want to make a separate trip, you can substitute mozzarella cubes.