Italian Tuna Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 package of Farfalle butterfly pasta (100% semolina flour),
- 1 can Italian tuna packed in olive oil drained
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup sliced dried sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 - 2 jumbo green olives diced
- 4 artichoke hearts from a can and not marinated
- 3 slices of prosciutto diced/sliced into slivers
- 1/2 red onion diced
- 3 tsp. capers
- 1 tsp. fresh thyme simply pulled off of the stems
- 1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley minced
- 2 cups sliced cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- freshly cracked sea salt to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a deep pot of water to a boil, adding about a couple tablespoons of salt.
- Once the water is boiling, cook the pasta for only 5 minutes (the pasta continues to cook in the bowl).
- Immediately remove with a strainer from the water -- do not rinse the pasta, the pasta water is important to the flavor of the dish as well as to the texture.
- Drizzle several tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in the slightly drained pasta to prevent it from sticking together.
- Add all remaining ingredients together.
- Gently mix.
- Place in the refrigerator to marry the flavors for about a half hour or longer.
- Note: Add more olive oil and balsamic vinegar to your own level of preference; keeping in mind that it is always better to use more olive oil in proportion to less vinegar.
- Serve on a pretty platter with a garnish of beautiful, fresh stems of thyme and Italian parsley!
Notes
- Note: Add more olive oil and balsamic vinegar to your own level of preference; keeping in mind that it is always better to use more olive oil in proportion to less vinegar.
- Optional to add: chunks of soft buffalo mozzarella cheese, diced red pepper or roasted red peppers, anchovies, chopped celery......the possibilities are only limited to YOUR imagination and personal taste preferences!