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A salad of pasta, spring vegetables & tomatoes

a salad of pasta, spring vegetables & tomatoes

Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi’s Pasta Salad with Spring Vegetables and Tomatoes, as featured in Bon Appétit

Servings 6 to 8 servings
Author Rosemary Stelmach

Ingredients

For the Tomatoes

  • 4 cups cherry and/or grape tomatoes (about 24 ounces0
  • 3 2-inch strips of orange zest
  • 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 6 tablespoons fresh orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 9 garlic cloves, peeled & crushed
  • 1 3-inch piece of peeled fresh ginger, cut into very thin matchsticks
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

For the Peas & Onions

  • 8 ounces spring onions (about 2 or 3 large)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed & halved (about 3 cups)
  • kosher salt

For Salad Assembly

  • 12 ounces casarecce, fusilli or penne
  • kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 cups thinly sliced fresh basil, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced mint, divided
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Instructions

For the Tomatoes

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

    Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer on a 13" x 9" baking pan or dish. Place the pieces of orange zest and fresh thyme within the tomatoes so that they are evenly spaced throughout the pan. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil and orange juice with the brown sugar. Add the garlic cloves, ginger strips, salt and a pinch of pepper. Once combined, pour mixture evenly over the pan of tomatoes. Gently toss to be sure everything is coated.

  2. Roast, gently tossing mixture every 20 minutes, until tomatoes are tender and just bursting but still intact, for 50 to 60 minutes. Pluck out and discard thyme and orange zest. Set tray aside.

For the Peas & Onions

  1. Separate the spring onion stems from the bulbs. Cut the stems in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 2” pieces. Slice the bulbs through root end into quarters. If your spring onions are very large, the bulbs will need to be further cut into more manageable pieces.

    Heat a dry medium skillet, preferably cast iron, over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, then add the sugar snap peas so that they are spread out in a single layer. Cook, tossing once, until charred on both sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

  2. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the same skillet. Add the spring onion stems and bulbs, arranging in a single layer. Cook, tossing once, until charred, for about 4 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the sugar snap peas; season to taste with salt.

Salad Assembly

  1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, transfer to a large bowl, and let cool, tossing around now and again to make sure it’s not sticking.

  2. Add the tomato mixture, sugar snap peas and spring onions, lemon juice, 1½ cups basil, and 1 cup mint to the pasta. Toss gently to combine (you don’t want to break up the tomatoes too much); season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired.

  3. Serve pasta salad topped with remaining ½ cup basil and ½ cup mint and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

    Can be enjoyed warm, slightly chilled or at room temperature.