Summer Picnic Pasta Salad

Summer Pasta Salad

1/2 lb cooked, drained and cooled creste di gallo--Cock's combs
1 can of Italian (Genova) tuna fish with oil
1 can of tuna packed under water--drain and toss the water!
1 /2 cup of diced sweet pepperoni--yours, or straight from the jar
1/2 cup chopped celery (optional)
1/4 of a red onion, sliced
2 Tbs. of tiny capers
1/2 cup of sweet gherkins sliced
1/2 cup of sliced black olives (I like the ones with Jalapeno)
1/4 cup of green olives stuffed with anchovies
1 Tbs of fresh parsley
1/2 lb cooked cannellini beans or pour straight form the can, cheater!
1 teaspoon of oregano
3 hard cooked eggs...quartered around the platter (optional)
3-4 small sweet tomatoes quartered and placed in between the egg pieces
1/2 lb. cooked cold, shrimp (optional)
Salt, coarse ground pepper
paprika (optional)
garlic powder (optional)
olive oil
champagne vinegar
a spritz of apple must!

Hint: do not add the tomatoes till the last minute. Or else serve each platter with the tom ates around and the salad plopped right smack dab in the center!

Today I made this without the celery, paprika or shrimp...it was super-duper YUM, FR said so, and he has a discerning, spoiled palate.

Serves 4-6, depending how generous you are dishing out the portions.