Served as starter. Suitable for vegetarians.

Italian

2 cups uncooked Rotini

4 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1/2 cup sliced Black Olives

1 cup crumbled Feta Cheese

2 Tomatoes, diced

1 Onion, cut into rings soaked in Cold Water.

1 small Cucumber, diced

2 Tablespoons fresh Oregano, chopped

a sprinkling of Red Pepper Sauce or as per taste

Salt and freshly Milled Pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese

Cook the rotini pasta in a pot of boiling salted water for about 8 minutes or till tender but just underdone. Drain and refresh in cold water. Drain well. Toss in some olive oil to avoid them from becoming sticky. In a bowl, mix lightly the remaining olive oil, black olives, feta cheese, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, fresh oregano and red pepper sauce. Top the rotini with this dressing and sprinkle salt and freshly milled pepper. Refrigerate covered with cling film to chill. Serve chilled topped with grated parmesan cheese.

Preparation time: 5-10 minutes

Cooking time: 8-10 minutes

Serves: 4

Tips:

Any small sized pasta like conchigliette (little shells) can be used in place of rotini. It is important to cook the pasta till it is almost cooked or till just underdone. Refresh any form of cooked pasta in cold water so that they do not become sticky. Drain the cold water and coat the pasta with a drop or two of oil. This will help separate them out. The best quality parmesan cheese will be labelled Parmigiano Reggiano.

You may also be interested in ...