Pasta Salad

Pasta Salad-A colourful  and tasty salad that is healthy and nutricious.Lavishly made with olives, sundried tomatoes,mixed beans,diced cucumber  and all served on a bed of crunchy  baby cos lettuce leaves .

Ingredients:

1 bowl cooked mixed beans of choice. (Mixture of any of these; kidney beans, chickpeas, flagelot beans,white kidney beans, cannelloli beans or blackeyed beans)
1 bowl cooked Farfalle pasta
Baby cos lettuce leaves -approx 12
2 tablespoons preserved sundried tomatoes in oil -chopped into small bite size pieces
3 inch piece cucumber diced
3 spring onions finely chopped or 1 medium red onion finely diced
12 green/black  olives pitted ( stones taken out)
1/2 bowl mixed red/green yellow peppers diced.
Parmesan cheese for garnish.(Optional)

For Dressing:

2 tablespoons oil from preserved sundried tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh lemon  juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground  black pepper
1 clove garlic finely minced
1 green chilli finely minced

Method:

1. In a bowl add the mixed  beans, diced cucumber, chopped onion, diced peppers, sundried tomatoes , olives and  cooked pasta.
2. In a jar with a lid add all the ingredients for the dressing and shake to mix it all together.
3.Pour over the salad and toss to coat all the salad ingredients.
4. Line a serving bowl with the baby cos lettuce leaves and spoon the pasta salad on the top.
5. Chill for an hour before serving to allow flavour of dressing to infuse.
6. When ready to serve grate parmesan shaving over salad.
Serve  with fresh crusty bread.

You may like:

Pink Grape fruit and pickled gherkin salad.