Summer Pasta Salad (V) from Sprout & Co Saladology
“This recipe is more of a reminder not to forget about pasta salad. Making pasta can be a stressful business: trying to get the sauce the right consistency and judging how much pasta water to add; worrying about serving it hot enough and whether you remembered to warm the serving bowls or plates. And by the time everyone has sat down, it’s lost that desirable glassy finish. Pasta salad, however, is altogether less stressful. You can play around with the vegetables here – try adding the blistered tomatoes from the recipe on page 118. It’s also easy to make in bulk to use as lunches during the week, or you could be that person who brings a pasta salad to the summer barbecue – everybody’s favourite person!” Theo Kirwan, author of Sprout & Co Saladology
1 aubergine, cut into 2cm chunks
1 courgette, cut into 2cm chunks
1 fennel bulb, cut into wedges 1cm thick
3 tablespoons olive oil (for roasting the vegetables), plus extra for drizzling
50g (1/4 oz) skin-on hazelnuts
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
400g (14oz) farfalle pasta
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
Small handful of basil leaves
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, plus extra to finish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the pickled onion
1 red onion, halved and finely sliced into half-moons
Pinch of chilli flakes
Preheat the oven to 210°C.
Put the aubergine, courgette and fennel in a roasting tray and toss with the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast for 25-30 minutes until everything is soft and golden at the edges.
Spread the hazelnuts and fennel seeds out on a baking tray, place in the oven with the veg and roast for 8 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
While the veg finishes roasting, cook the pasta in a large pan of salted boiling eater according to the packet instructions, then drain and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled. Drain well and add to a bowl with a generous drizzle of olive oil to coat.
Remove the roasted veg from the oven. Roughly chop the fennel into bite-sized pieces, then toss with the pasta as soon as you can so that it doesn’t stick together.
For the pickled onion, place the red onion in a small bowl, squeeze over the lemon juice and add a pinch of salt. Scrunch the onion together with your hands so that it’s coated in the lemon juice and it starts to turn bright pink.
Toss the herbs, pickled onion, extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, a pinch of salt and a few friends of black pepper into the pasta.
Transfer to a serving platter, tear over the mozzarella and toss the fennel-y hazelnuts on top, adding the chilli flakes and a final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to finish.
