Mediterranean Tuna Pasta Salad

Think Nicoise salad meets tuna casserole and you’ll be somewhere in the ballpark of this recipe. Canned tuna is tossed with chopped tomatoes, olives, red onions, capers, parsley, Milanese Gremolata Olive Oil and Sicilian Lemon White Balsamic, and then tossed again with hot fusilli pasta and shredded Mozzarella cheese.The hot pasta melts the cheese into the tuna mixture. Make it ahead if you wish; if you do, warm it in the microwave before serving.

2 5-ounce cans of albacore tuna, drained

1 tomato, cored, cut in half crosswise and squeezed of excess juice, chopped (about 1 cup)

1/4 cup pitted, Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup chopped red onion

2 Tbsp chopped parsley

1 Tbsp capers, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons Sicilian Lemon White Balsamic Vinegar

4 Tbsp Milanese Gremolata Olive Oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

3/4 pound fusilli pasta, dry

1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese

Heat 2 quarts of salted water (1 Tbsp kosher salt), to a boil. Meanwhile, place drained tuna in a medium bowl. Stir with a fork to break up the largest chunks of tuna. Stir drained tuna with tomato, olives, onion, parsley, capers, Milanese Gremolata Olive Oil, salt and pepper: Stir to combine.

When the pasta water comes to a boil, add the pasta and boil, uncovered, on a rolling boil until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water.

Drain the pasta and immediately add the pasta to the tuna mixture. Sprinkle with the grated Mozzarella cheese and stir until everything is well combined. If the pasta seems a little dry, add some of the reserved pasta water and/or some more olive oil