For One: Italian-ish Pasta Salad

Hello critters! Today I want to talk about the delicious pasta salad I made for my hike last weekend.

Here's what I use

• 1 cup of pasta

• Courgette (or zucchini), 1 half

• Aubergine (or eggplant), 1 half

• 1 tomato

• 5 sun-dried tomatoes

• 5 mozarella mini-balls

• Olive oil

• Salt

Here's what I do

• I start by cooking the pasta. Please don't forget to salt your water.

• I wash the veggies and cut the courgette and aubergine in cubes (technically it's more of a cylindrical triangle, but you get the idea). I put them on a cooking tray, drizzle some olive oil on them, add a pinch of salt, and into the oven it goes at 180°C (or 350°F) for 12-15 minutes.

• I cut the fresh tomato and the sun-dried tomatoes in little pieces, then do the same to the mini-balls of mozzarella.

• When the pasta is cooked, I drain the water and put it back into the saucepan. I get the roasted veggies out of the oven and add them to the pasta, oil included. Mix it all up.

• I toss the tomatoes and mozzarella in there too. Mix it all together some more, et voilà !

• It's as good hot as it is cold. For a picnic, I'd recommend leaving it in the fridge for a couple hours once it's cooled off.

Now for the backstory.

I've had a somewhat difficult relationship with aubergine for the past 25 years but recently I've taken it upon myself to give it another try. Lo and behold! It really is all about how you cook it! (shocker, I know) Simply roasted in the oven with olive oil and salt, I find it delicious. So I figured I would pair it with some courgette for a tasty little pasta salad.

For someone who hates garlic I sure love sun-dried tomatoes (I'm a walking paradox), so it seemed only natural to add it in there. Might as well.

Courgettes are a good source of fibre, vitamin C and potassium. Aubergines are rich in antioxydants. Sun-dried tomatoes are good for iron and vitamin K. So basically, this pasta salad packs a punch!

I went on a hike by the sea last weekend and it was the perfect lunch companion. I sat down in the grass on the cliff walk overlooking the Irish sea and enjoyed my food in the purest of silence. Pretty perfect, you say? Why, yes, yes it was.

It's super easy to make, it's good for your health and it's vegetarian. I will definitely be making again soon!

Waves and roasted veggies 🍆

Nicky 🦊