ROASTED BELL PEPPER AND BLACK OLIVE PASTA SALAD
 
 
This pasta salad is full of flavor from fresh tomatoes, roasted bell pepper and black olives. Tossed with an easy to make dressing, and fresh parsley and making use of Del Monte’s whole wheat penne rigate it makes a quick and healthy lunch or is perfect to make ahead for a picnic or lunchbox.
Author:
Recipe type: Salad
Serves: serves 3-4
Ingredients
  • Ingredients
  • • 225 gms whole wheat penne rigate
  • • 200 gms ripe tomatoes, medium-diced
  • • 1 cup black olives, sliced
  • • fresh Mozzarella, chopped to bite sized pieces
  • • 1 red bell pepper
  • For the dressing:
  • • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • • salt and pepper, to taste
  • • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • • ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
  1. Instructions
  2. Preheat oven to 200 C. Line a baking sheet with foil. Coat the bell pepper with some olive oil and place on baking sheet. Put baking sheet in oven and allow the bell pepper to roast for 40 minutes, rotating them half way through baking. Once the skin is charred on all sides and the bell peppers are soft, remove from oven. You could also roast bell pepper on the gas over flame, like you roast eggplants. When cool to touch, peel skin off and chop into thin strips.
  3. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool.
  4. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes (you can broil the tomatoes for that extra grilled touch in the pasta salad along with the bell pepper), black olives, mozzarella, chopped roasted bell pepper.
  5. For the dressing, combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth. You can also whisk by hand.
  6. Pour the dressing over the pasta, add parmesan and parsley, and mix well.
  7. Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate and serve later.
Recipe by The Novice Housewife at https://novicehousewife.com/2017/07/24/roasted-bell-pepper-pasta-salad/