Mediterranean Pasta and Bean Salad

Serves 6

Pauline Therrien

Ingredients
4 cups fusilli or rotini

1 19-oz can white kidney beans, drained
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
3 green onions, chopped, optional
1 small sweet green pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cucumber, cut into small chunks

Pasta Dressing:

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 to 3 tsp. dried oregano
3/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 cup olive oil

Topping:
1/2 cup black Kalamata olives
4 oz Feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente (just a slight bit raw or hard). Drain pasta and rinse under cold running water. Drain and let cool.
In a large bowl, combine the cooled cooked pasta, beans, tomatoes, green onions, green peppers and cucumbers.
Pasta dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Gradually whisk in oil.
Pour pasta dressing over salad and stir to mix. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 2 days.
Topping: Spoon the salad into a shallow salad bowl. Sprinkle with olives and feta.