Life is just a bowl of salad.
Pasta salad with Feta, Yellow Pepper and Snow Peas
The other day G innocently asked me what I would be posting about next.
Here's what he heard:
"Blah blah blah blah salad."
"You always talk about salads." he said.
What I heard, between the lines, was: "Yawn."
Problem is, everything I eat on a regular basis these days falls under the category of a salad.
Whether it has a base of leafy greens, bulghur, couscous, lentils or pasta, in my mind, if its loaded with vegetables, and it's not saucy, it constitutes a salad.
Men.
So difficult.
I mean, sometimes life just IS a bowl of salad.
It's not always about complicated and unusual recipes. Is it?
So here I am, talking about salad because that's what makes me happy.
The story starts something like this: I spotted Martha's recipe for Pasta Salad with Feta and Snow Peas and I could tell it had everything a girl like me could want.
It had pasta for one thing, the all-important feta cheese, and a miscellaneous array of vegetables in attractive and complimentary colours. And, to top it all off, a generous dose of fresh coriander. How could it get any better?
I enjoyed it. I did. There was nary a noodle or vegetable left in that bowl once I had finished with it.
But something about that raw yellow pepper didn't sit right with me. It was like putting an outfit together that is just close to perfect--you are seriously looking your sassiest self-- and then you go and throw on your mother's pearls and suddenly your fab is nothing but drab.
I wanted to love that pasta salad. I really did.
So I tried again.
This time, I swapped the yellow pepper for some sautéed zucchini, tweaked the vinaigrette a bit, and bingo, we had lift off.
I admit, it looks prettier with the yellow pepper, but sometimes a great personality is more important than being pretty. Right?
Pasta salad with Snow Peas, Zucchini and Feta
Pasta Salad with Snow Peas, Zucchini and Feta inspired by Martha
This serves one very hungry person as a main dish. I added alot of vegetables so the salad could actually serve 2 as a side dish, despite the small amount of pasta in there. It's up to you.
60g orriechette pasta (which is about 1/2 cup of dried pasta)
1 zucchini, chopped (feel free to only use half if you want).
a small handful of snow peas, sliced on the diagonal into 1 cm strips
1 or 2 teaspoons of thinly sliced scallion a.k.a green onion (I used the green part)
a tablespoon or two of chopped fresh coriander (or to taste)
A tablespoon or two of crumbled feta cheese (or more to taste)
Vinaigrette
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 of a small clove of garlic, finely chopped (this part is optional, Martha's recipe does not contain garlic, but it adds a slight kick)
salt and pepper to taste
Cook the pasta. Add the snow peas to the pasta water at the last minute or two just to blanch them but keep them slightly crunchy. Drain and rinse pasta and snow peas in cold water. (You can blanch the snow peas in a separate pot of water if you prefer)
Saute the zucchini in one teaspoon of olive oil over a medium high heat until browned.
Add to the pasta with the snow peas.
Mix the vinaigrette ingredients together and add to the pasta.
Finally add the scallion, coriander and feta to the pasta and mix altogether.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Make ahead and serve cold or eat it right away while it's still slightly warm, whichever you prefer.
If you make it ahead, put the coriander in just before serving.
posted by Michèle at 12:45 PM
16 Comments:
mmmm, that looks amazing! yum.
Yum - that salad sounds (and looks) really wonderful. I'll definitely have to try it, also being a huge fan of any salad with feta in it. :)
yummy! sounds great!
Mother always said
Pretty is as pretty does.
so maybe it's
Pretty is as pretty tastes.
at least when it comes to salad.
i love straighforward salads like these. Unpretentious and uncluttered. thanks for the recipe
Indeed, MEN! This looks amazing - he doesn't know what he's missing, obviously. But I guess that just means more for you, heh!
I love salad, but I'll pass on the snow peas portion of this salad ingredient. Don't like snow peas. Love everything else. ;-)
Paz
great looking salad...totally agree about raw yellow pepper..
Kickpleat, thanks!
Helios, I must admit, I seem to be throwing feta cheese on everything lately. It's a bit of an addiction but it seems to make everything taste that much better.
K&S, it was! thanks!
Tanna, your mother is a wise woman ;)
Shaz, Im glad to hear it. I like these kinds of salads too--straightforward recipes fit into our daily lives better, and I'm always on a quest to find that kind of recipe that I'll use over and over again.
Zarah Maria, G is definitely not as excited about salads as I am, unless perhaps I threw some oreo cookies on top ;)
Paz, well the cool thing about this salad, as I discovered is you can tailor it to suit your own preferences. But it gives you a good base to work from--after that you can pretty much do your own thing.
Jules, glad to hear you agree! There was just a bit too much crunch between the pepper and the snow peas, perhaps roasting the pepper would have solved that as well.
You know, I had to comment on the artfully placed cilantro in the first pic; very appetizing indeed! And I love that you chose personality over looks - this sounds like a great jumping off point for some fashionable variations! You could go Provençal and add capers and olives, topped with a lovely French Feta. So many options to choose from.
You know you can always seduce me with feta, and when there's cilantro involved too, well sign me up! Looks absolutement delicieux! Oh, and it's funny about men and salad, isn't it? I think many of them don't classify it as food, but as foliage...
Artful combination of flavors with pasta.
Snow peas pair well with zucchini and feta cheese. You can grill zucchini for a smoky flavor along with feta and snow peas and a dash of oregano. Adding the smoky flavor will enhance flavors to the sald.
Funny thing about men and salads...my husband who eats every healthy meal I make and loves vegetables, just can't handle salad. He says that it requires to much effort (chewing), but a minimal payoff in fullness/satiation. Men...
Anyway, I understand how tweaking one or two ingredients can make or break a pasta salad. It is bliss when everything just clicks!
Tara, I like the Provencal idea. I think there is going to be alot of pasta salad in my future. As for the cilantro, hmm, now that you've pointed it out, Im not sure I remember doing that. It looks a bit forced doesnt it!
Melissa, I admit, I seem to put feta on everything, and I'm as easily sold as you when their is cilantro involved. I get huge cravings for both more often than any other food/garnish I think.
Esther, grilling the zucchini is a fabulous idea--its my favourite way to make zucchini. There are so many options with a pasta salad. I recently saw some fresh oregano at the market, which is a rare sight, I might just have to indulge in some..
Julie, your husband does have a point and Im guessing it's why women do like salads--a lot of chewing, and still lots of room left in the belly. And the bowls of salad I often serve with dinner are usually only eaten by me. I don't really mind though ;)
Yellow yellow... what about putting back in the contrasting colors by using yellow squash? =)
I have not yet tried this, but thinking about eating it... I can see the appeal in this particular dish... the pasta and the feta and the squash make for a very "mellow" salad. But the snow peas prevent the "mellow" from becoming "mushy". And the cilantro keeps the party light! =)
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