Muffuletta Pasta Salad

OLIVE SALAD:
3 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Meat Magic®
½ cup + ¼ teaspoon olive oil, in all
2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow banana peppers
2 tablespoons finely chopped red bell peppers
2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons finely chopped pitted black olives
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Anaheim chile peppers
2 pepperoncini (small pickled peppers sold in jars), chopped
1½ tablespoons chopped capers
¾ teaspoon minced fresh garlic
¾ cup chopped pimento-stuffed green olives
½ cup small cauliflower florets
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped onions
¼ cup finely chopped carrots
¼ cup white balsamic vinegar

1 pound penne (or your favorite) pasta
1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
4 ounces julienned ham
4 ounces julienned Genoa salami
4 ounces small diced Swiss cheese
4 ounces julienned mortadella

Cook pasta according to the package directions. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Drizzle with ¼ teaspoon of the olive oil and gently mix until well coated. Reserve at room temperature until ready to use.

Heat the remaining oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat just until it begins to smoke, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add everything, except the pasta, tomato, ham, salami, Swiss cheese and mortadella. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes and remove from the heat.

Combine with the reserved pasta and other remaining ingredients in a large serving bowl and toss well.

Serve at room temperature.

Copyright© 2000 by Paul Prudhomme