Mediterrean Pasta Salad

 Ingredients

• 1/2 pound fusilli (spirals) pasta
• Kosher salt
• Good olive oil
• 1 pound ripe tomatoes, medium-diced
• 3/4 cup good kalamata olives, sliced or diced
• 1 pound good feta cheese, medium-diced
• 6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

For the dressing:

• 5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 6 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, diced
• 1 teaspoon capers, drained
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 cup packed flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, feta and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, Parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth.

Toss well and serve chilled.  Garnish with wedges of tomatoes and a sprig of parsley.

I absolutely LOVE this pasta salad.  It's vibrant, jam-packed full of flavors, colorful, and everyone is bound to love it.  I can't lie, I have an entire bowl of it sitting in my fridge that I plan on eating with me, myself, and I.  I might consider sharing, but I don't think it would ship well to Afghanistan.  

Enjoy!