Tomato Feta Pasta Salad

My friend Mary was sweet enough to give me a basketful of campari tomatoes again.  I was so excited, I have been waiting for the right tomatoes to make this dish and I finally had them.  Well, I know what you are thinking...  Feta, surely Chad and Munchkin didn't eat that.  No, you are right.  Neither of them would touch it.  But, I didn't say I made it for them.

My friends came over to play games Saturday night, the same ones I shared the Creamy Peanut Butter Pie for Mikey with.  My friend YaYa came over (Munchkin calls her YaYa not sure how she came up with that, but I later found out it means Grandma in Greek - so it fits, she is like family.  And it stuck.) she really enjoys Italian flavors too, and she was thrilled to share this salad with me.  I also brought it to a barbeque that we went to on Sunday.  Mary hosted.  I told her about the pasta salad on the phone and warned her to eat around the feta, but she apparently forgot.  She was sweet enough not to spit it out though.  Although I wish I had my camera to capture the look on her face when she realized it was feta and not mozzarella.

I am still enjoying the pasta salad.  The tomato flavor is amazing, the sweetness of the tomato and the tang of the vinegar.  It all comes together perfectly.  It seems to get better each time I go back to eat it.  Yes, this dish is a stand in the fridge with a fork kind of hazard.  This is a quick and easy summery dish!  Buon Appetito!

Recipe slightly adapted from the fabulous Ina Garten 

Tomato Feta Pasta Salad
1/2 pound rotini pasta

Kosher salt

Extra Virgin olive oil

1 pound grape tomatoes, halved

3/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved

1 pound feta cheese, medium-diced

6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

For the dressing:

5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, diced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1 cup packed flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, feta and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. 

For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth.

Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and parsley, and toss well.

 

Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate and serve later.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - The Slow Roasted Italian.com