Pasta with Feta, Peppers and Hazelnuts
A Mediterranean inspired pasta salad which makes for a colourful vegetarian main. The recipe brings together crumbly feta, sweet peppers and crunchy hazelnuts.
Introduction
Salads are perhaps not your first choice for a filling and hearty lunch, but this tasty Mediterranean-inspired salad will keep you going for hours and is great for warm-weather adventures.
Ingredients
| 175g | dried pasta (any shape you like) |
| 50g | whole unblanched hazelnuts |
| 3 tbsp | olive oil |
| 2 | red peppers, deseeded and chopped |
| 1 clove | garlic, crushed |
| 200g | feta cheese, crumbled |
| 50g | sun-dried tomatoes, chopped |
| A generous handful | of flat-leaf parsley, chopped |
| Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper |
Method
Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, then drain well.
Whilst the pasta is cooking, set a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the hazelnuts and toast for 2-3 minutes until they smell nutty. Tip on to a board and roughly chop. Set aside.
Add the oil to the frying pan and tip in the red peppers. Fry over a high heat, stirring from time to time, for 8-10 minutes until lightly charred at the edges.
Remove from the heat and stir through the garlic, then add to the cooked pasta (along with all the tasty oil), mixing well. Stir through the chopped nuts, feta, sun-dried tomatoes and parsley and season well ith salt and black pepper. Spoon into containers and cool, then cover and chill in the fridge until you are ready to travel.
