Very Italian Pasta Salad

MsPia's Note:

I call this Italian because I got it from an Italian cooking magazine. Pasta salads are not my favorite, so the ones I actually post, TRUST ME, are really good. For this salad you first have to cook mini meatballs. The recipe makes more meatballs than needed in the salad (in my opinion), but they are delicious and a great appetizer by themselves. Plus it is impossible not to munch on them while cooking them. The recipe calls for 3 red onions instead of 1 as I posted, but Italia red onion, called Tropea, are much milder and sweeter than American ones.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 16 ounces rotelle pasta, also know as wagon wheels
• 10 ounces ground beef
• 2 ounces Italian breadcrumbs
• 1 cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 4 tablespoons parmesan cheese
• 3 ounces all-purpose flour
• 3 cups peanut oil, for frying
• 6 roma tomatoes, cut in wheels
• 1 red onion
• 3 tablespoons caper berries
• 3 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)

Directions:

1. Cook the rotelle in abundant salt water following manufacturer’s instructions, tasting for readiness from time to time. Also boil 3 of the eggs to make hard-boiled eggs.
2. To a large bowl add the breadcrumbs and the milk and let them sit for a couple of minutes. Then add ground beef, the remaining egg, Parmesan cheese and a little bit of salt and pepper. Remember Parmesan is salty. Mix well and make tiny meatballs the size of a cherry or a grape.
3. Put them in a pan with the flour and toss them around to dust them.
4. Fry the meatballs in a large frying pan over high heat, until golden, about 4 minutes total, turning them around with the help of 2 fork, to get n even golden. Drain on paper towels.
5. Now slice hard-boiled eggs in wheels; take the egg yolks and put them in a bowl. Mash them with a fork and mix then with the olive oil salt and pepper until emulsified. This will be your dressing.
6. Drain the pasta, put it in a large bowl and toss with the dressing. Use as much dressing as you want, you don’t have to use the whole cup if you think it is too much for your taste. You can always add some more later on.
7. Now add onions, tomatoes, caper berries, egg white rings and parsley. Toss and let it sit for about 15 minutes for the flavors to blend.