2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 English cucumber, diced, seeded (peeled or unpeeled)
1/2 red pepper, finely chopped
2 cups pitted Kalamata olives, drained
1 medium red onion, diced
1 cup pepperoncinis, chopped
8 oz good quality feta cheese, crumbled
Fresh basil, chopped
Coarse ground black pepper
For the dressing:
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. fresh basil, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
Pinch of sugar
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in a colander, rinse with cold water, and drain again; set aside. In a large bowl, add tomatoes, cucumber, olives, onions, pepperoncinis, feta cheese, and fresh basil. Gently toss together. Place the red wine vinegar, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper, fresh basil, lemon juice, garlic, and sugar in a jar with lid, and shake well to mix. Drizzle dressing over pasta; toss to coat. If you need to, add more olive oil. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 2-3 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, toss the pasta salad again, garnish with fresh pepper and basil, and enjoy cold or at room temperature.