Mediterranean pasta salad

A colourful pasta salad with crunchy peppers, sweet cherry tomatoes, olives and plenty of fresh herbs — the Mediterranean classic that travels well to any picnic or barbecue.

Ingredients (serves about 4)

• Gluten
• Sulphites

• 200 g short pasta (e.g. gnocchetti sardi, fusilli or penne)
• 1 garlic cloves (unpeeled)
• 100 g red pointed bell pepper
• 100 g orange bell pepper
• 160 g cherry tomatoes (preferably mixed colours)
• 80 g black olives, pitted
• 60 g cucumber
• 1 spring onions
• 2 tbsp chives, cut into fine rings
• 12 fresh basil leaves
• 1.5 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 0.5 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 2.5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• (optional) 0.5 tbsp black olive tapenade
• 1 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper

Preparation

1. Cook the pasta. Cook 200 g of short pasta in plenty of salted water according to the package directions. About 3 minutes before the end of the cooking time, drop in 1 unpeeled garlic clove. Drain, rinse briefly with cold water and leave to cool for at least 1 hour. Fish out the garlic clove and set it aside.

2. Marinate the spring onions. Slice 1 spring onions into thin rings. Combine them in a small bowl with the white wine vinegar and the sherry vinegar and leave to marinate for 15 minutes — this takes the sharp edge off the onions.

3. Chop the vegetables. Cut the red pointed bell pepper and the orange bell pepper into small cubes. Quarter or eighth the cherry tomatoes depending on size. Finely dice the cucumber (seeds and all). Roughly chop the black olives.

4. Make the dressing. Squeeze the cooled garlic out of its skin and mash it to a paste with a pinch of salt using a mortar or the flat of a knife. Mix with the marinated spring onions and, if using, the tapenade. Slowly whisk in 2.5 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil.

5. Combine everything. In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta with the peppers, tomatoes, cucumber and olives. Finely chop the basil leaves and chives and fold them in. Pour over the dressing and toss thoroughly so every piece is coated.

6. Let it rest. Season generously with salt, freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of cayenne. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving. Taste again just before serving and adjust salt, pepper and a splash of vinegar if needed.

Notes

The salad gets better as it sits — ideally make it the day before so the flavours have time to mingle. Bring it back to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving so the olive oil is fragrant again. Feel free to add diced mozzarella or feta, a handful of rocket or some sun-dried tomatoes. Any short pasta with a good surface for the dressing to cling to works well.