Photo by A delicious. Year – Katren
Pasta Salad with Haloumi and Lemon
Serves 4
5 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
1 x 250g punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
55g (1/3 cup) pitted black olives
1 zucchini, ends trimmed, coarsely grated
1/2 cup firmly packed torn fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp chopped fresh continental parsley
250g dried spaghetti pasta
2 tsp olive oil, extra
1 x 250g pkt haloumi, cut crossways into 8 slices
1. Whisk the oil, vinegar and lemon rind in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Combine the tomato, olives, zucchini, basil and parsley in a bowl. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of lightly salted boiling water following packet directions or until al dente. Drain and return to the pan.
3. Meanwhile, heat extra oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook haloumi for 2 minutes each side or until golden and heated through.
4. Add oil mixture and tomato mixture to pasta. Toss until well combined. Divide among serving bowls. Top with haloumi.
Variations:
# Rocket and feta pasta salad: Omit oil, vinegar, lemon rind, parsley and extra olive oil. Replace basil with 1 x 150g ctn Wattle Valley Rocket with Cashew and Parmesan Chunky Dip. Replace the spaghetti with 250g dried spiral pasta. Replace haloumi with 250g feta, crumbled. Omit step 3.
# Rice noodle and tofu salad: Omit lemon rind and tomato. Replace vinegar with 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice. Reduce oil in step 1 to 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add 2 tsp sesame oil, 1 Tbsp fish sauce and 1/4 tsp caster sugar to dressing in step 1. Replace olives with 55g (1/3 cup) unsalted roasted peanuts. Replace the zucchini with 1 Lebanese cucumber, coarsely chopped. Replace the basil with 1/2 cup firmly packed coriander leaves. Replace spaghetti with 1 x 450g pkt fresh rice noodles. Replace haloumi with 1 x 200g pkt Thai-flavoured tofu. In step 2, cook noodles following packet directions. In step 3, cook tofu for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Cut into 2cm pieces. Add 1 red capsicum, halved, deseeded, thinly sliced, in step 4.
# Ricotta and egg pasta salad: Omit basil, haloumi and extra oil. Replace the olives with 1 avocado, halved, stone removed, peeled, coarsely chopped. Replace the zucchini with 1 Lebanese cucumber, coarsely chopped. Replace the spaghetti with 1 x 375g pkt fresh lasagne sheets, cut into 3cm-wide strips. Cook pasta for 3-4 minutes or until al dente. Refresh under cold running water. Drain. Add 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, finely chopped, and 200g fresh ricotta to the pasta in step 4.