amazingtastic roasted tomato pasta sala

When one says the word "pasta salad", I'm simply not convinced. Picnic memories of oddly creamy and thick limp pasta seem to push away any real taste or texture. But let me tell you. When slow roasted oven tomatoes mix with some very al dente pasta and are left to soak up a delicious lemon, oregano dressing, the "pasta salad" takes on a whole new meaning. I mean, just look.

I made it for Declan's birthday picnic and we almost finished half the bowl. Four hours later when the rest of the family crew came home, they polished it off. This is pasta salad that holds its own, something I don't even think the creators of pasta salad could imagine.

Amazingtastic Roasted Tomato Pasta Salad 
adapted from guess who, a smitten kitchen recipe

*One of the reasons why I love this recipe so much is also the fact that it used my home-dried oregano. Last season, during a time when our oregano ground sprawler went wild, I experimented by washing, drying and then hanging up bunches of oregano, lavender, and mint. After that, I promptly forgot about it until a couple of months later when I craved some mint tea and we has ran out of tea bags. I suddenly remembered the dried stuff and just crushed it into my tea. For this recipe, I just picked two stalks off the bunch and then crumbled up the leaves with my fingers. If you have a spot of time and an abundance of any herbs, I highly suggest drying your own. :)

Roasted Tomatoes
4 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
olive oil
salt

Dressing
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 Tablespoons dried oregano*
1 1/4 teaspoon table salt
few grinds of black pepper
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 Tablespoons red or white vinegar
1/3 cup oil

To assemble, 
1 pound pasta (I used farfalle, but any smallish type pasta will work here) cooked until 2 minutes before doneness, rinsed and drained.
3/4 cups crumbled feta (the original recipe also says you can use use queso fresco, something we unfortunately cannot buy)
1/2 cup toasted nuts such as sunflower or pine nuts
1/2 cup pitted and roughly chopped olives (I've used both green and black olives, but I much prefer green oil-packed olives)
handful of fresh basil leaves chopped (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Roasted Tomatoes: Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a good silicon mat. Slice the tomatoes lengthwise and lay onto the mat with cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil and salt. Bake for 80-90 minutes until the tomatoes are curled and shriveled, but still retain some moisture. Set aside to let cool.

Dressing: Roughly chop garlic and add the oregano, salt and pepper and chop until it resembles a coarse paste. Transfer into a small bowl and add lemon juice and vinegar. Slowly drizzle in oil until incorporated.

To assemble salad: Place drained pasta, cheese, tomatoes, olives, and toasted nuts into a large bowl and toss to combine. Dress lightly and keep tasting until you've added the perfect amount. An overdressed salad is a sad salad. Finally, toss into basil and serve.

This is a great do-ahead salad because it actually gets better with age as the pasta soaks up some of the oregano lemony goodness. That being said, it has never lasted more than a day in my house.