With Memorial Day fast approaching, I thought I would start making picnic, potluck, beach, pool (and what ever else you have in mind) friendly food.  This is my daughter Nina’s favorite pasta salad.  I like the tortellini twist. This tortellini salad gets even better when you make it the day before, so the flavors have more time to blend together.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Tortellini Salad

Ingredients:

1 package of tortellini

1 cucumber diced

1 small package of grape tomato halved

1 red bell pepper diced

3 basil leaves finely chopped

10 pieces of salami diced

Vinaigrette

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

3 drops Tabasco

1 tablespoon sugar

Cook tortellini 2 minutes less than the package directions, in salted water, drain and place in a large bowl until cool.   To the bowl, add cucumber, tomato, bell peppers, salami and basil.

In a jar with a lid, mix together vinaigrette ingredients.  Seal jar, and shake until ingredients are blended.  Pour over pasta salad and toss to coat.  Cover and place pasta salad in refrigerator until completely cool.

**Vinaigrette can be stored in the refrigerator up to a week.