Summer is finally here and this weekend was a “Scorcher” – as usual, the British Media is surprised by warm temperatures and absolutely everyone is immediately topless and heading to the beach. If you’re looking for something easy to prep for the beach day or the evening after, your search is over.
For this gorgeous and fresh salad you will need: 1 pack of pasta of your choice – I tried finding the one I used online to recommend it, but it was a gift from a friend – , 5 peppers, 200g cherry tomatoes, 1 bunch of parsley, 1 lemon, 2 cloves of garlic, 100g of feta cheese, olive oil, salt & pepper.
First, preheat your oven to the highest setting. Add the whole peppers to an oven dish, cover in a bit of olive oil & salt. Bake until the surface of the peppers is burnt. In the meantime, cook the pasta al dente and cool it down with some cold water.
Add the garlic, the washed parsley and lemon juice and zest to a jug. When your peppers are sufficiently burnt, take them out of the oven and let them cool down slightly. Add the cooking liquid from the oven tray to the jug and blend the mixture to make a dressing and season to your liking.
Cut the tomatoes in quarters and add them to the pasta. Crumble the feta cheese and add as well. Now carefully – wear cloves if you are sensitive to heat- remove the seeds and the stalk from the peppers and peel off the skin. That’s quite slippery and a bit fiddly, but it’s worth it. When you’re done with it, slice the peppers into thin strips and add to your salad. Drizzle the dressing on top – tadaaaaah. Done.
Personally I’d leave the salad for at least two hours, so the flavour profile can develop properly, but it’s also very tasty right out of the bowl. Replace the feta cheese with a vegan version, such as “Greek White” from Violife. I was tempted to make the dish with mozzarella, but I thought feta would be better for its taste and texture. If I could make it again (and I will, as it’s my new favourite), I’d add black olives and walnuts!
If you like this article, maybe you’d also like the quick & easy pasta salad or my blog post about salads & dressings. Make sure to follow me on instagram as well!
Jana Jarrett Nutrition 