Italian-Western Three Bean Pasta Salad with Biscuit Breadsticks

Linda's recipe is submitted for the Chopped Challenge Round Two Main Dish Basket including the following items:

Theme: Italian Chuckwagon

Cowboy Style Pinto Beans
Biscuits
Angel Hair Pasta
Prosciutto

BONUS ITEM: Peperoncini Sotto Aceto

Chopped Round II - Fusion Confusion

The idea behind this basket is what would you get if you had an Italian preparing meals on the trail, Chuckwagon style. The peperoncini sotto aceto from what I interpret is a pepper (banana pepper or green bell pepper) in vinegar.

This salad is really delicious! My husband loved it and it will be something we really enjoy during the summer months. Don't be afraid of the hot dogs/prosciutto in barbecue sauce! They are really good.

Italian-Western Three-Bean Pasta Salad with Biscuit Breadsticks

by Linda Mire

Biscuit Breadsticks:

1 can of grand biscuits junior

garlic powder

Lightly oil a baking sheet and preheat the oven to 350F. Cut each biscuit into two halves. Roll halves into breadsticks (stretching the dough out). Place on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little garlic powder. Bake for 13 - 15 minutes, until brown.

Salad:

4 beef hot dogs, chopped into bite size pieces
1/2 cup prosciutto, chopped
cup Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 can Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Ranch style beans, drained and rinsed
1 red pepper, washed and diced
2 stalks celery, washed and diced
1/2 red onion, washed and diced (since some onions are pretty big, use about 1/2 cup)
1/3 cup pepperoncini from a jar, diced
2 cups cooked angel hair pasta, chopped
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
grated Parmesan for garnish
Paul Newman's Olive Oil and Vinegar Dressing
whole pepperoncini for garnish
flat leaf parsley for garnish

Place the chopped hot dogs and prosciutto on a sheet of foil (enough to make a foil packet). Pour the barbecue sauce over the meat. Fold the foil up into a packet. Place the baking sheet with a foil packet in a 375-degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and open the foil to cool.

In the meantime, get a big salad bowl and add the vegetables, pepperoncini, angel hair pasta and grated cheese. Add the cooled hot dogs/prosciutto and sauce. Toss. Pour about 1/2 cup dressing and toss again. Place about 2 cups on a large salad plate. Garnish with a whole pepperoncino, grated Parmesan, and flat leaf parsley. Serve with a biscuit breadstick.