My sister-in-love Gill is visiting and we've spent a blissful week exploring all my favorite shopping haunts, shuks and coffee shops. She's been amazed both by the quality of food stuffs and the vast range available - Israel in 2008 is a far cry from the backwater she visited 15 years ago - and she was especially impressed by the picture-perfect fruit and vegetables at Tel Aviv's Carmel Shuk and the incredible selection of dairy products.
This quick-as-a-flash recipe makes the most of our natural bounty and is ideal for stylish summer dining or even picnic or beach fare. You'll notice that it combines tomato, cheese and basil - 3 ingredients that work especially well together - so it's guaranteed to be good.
Stop by your local vegetable market today and get cooking!
A NEW TAKE ON GREEK PASTA SALAD
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
3 tablespoons basil pesto
SALAD
250 g macaroni
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
4 tomatoes, cut in cubes
1 bunch spring onions, chopped
2 cups shredded fresh spinach
250 grams feta/Bulgarit cheese, cubed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil, toasted pinenuts and black olives to garnish
1: Blend salad dressing ingredients till smooth.
2: Cook pasta, drain well then toss through dressing while still hot.
3: Add sun-dried and fresh tomatoes, spring onions and spinach and allow to stand for 1 hour.
4: Season with salt and pepper before serving and fork through feta.
3: Top with fresh basil leaves, pinenuts and black olives.
This quick-as-a-flash recipe makes the most of our natural bounty and is ideal for stylish summer dining or even picnic or beach fare. You'll notice that it combines tomato, cheese and basil - 3 ingredients that work especially well together - so it's guaranteed to be good.
Stop by your local vegetable market today and get cooking!
A NEW TAKE ON GREEK PASTA SALAD
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
3 tablespoons basil pesto
SALAD
250 g macaroni
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
4 tomatoes, cut in cubes
1 bunch spring onions, chopped
2 cups shredded fresh spinach
250 grams feta/Bulgarit cheese, cubed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil, toasted pinenuts and black olives to garnish
1: Blend salad dressing ingredients till smooth.
2: Cook pasta, drain well then toss through dressing while still hot.
3: Add sun-dried and fresh tomatoes, spring onions and spinach and allow to stand for 1 hour.
4: Season with salt and pepper before serving and fork through feta.
3: Top with fresh basil leaves, pinenuts and black olives.