Courgette, tomato & orzo salad with feta & pumpkin seeds
This is a tasty summer salad, which can be eaten on it’s own for lunch or as part of a spread of sides. Personally I love it just as it is, but it would be great with roasted chicken, or any kind of fish.
Ingredients
Serves 4 or 6 as a side
350g orzo, cooked as per packet instructions
1 large courgette, sliced diagnonally
200g baby plum or cherry tomatoes, halved
100g feta, crumbled
2-3 tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1/2 a lemon, increase if you like it tangy
Small handful of basil leaves
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°c, arrange the tomatoes on a tray and drizzle with 1 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil.
Put the tray in the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes, allow to cool once cooked.
Put a griddle pan on the job to heat and brush the courgette lightly on one side with rapeseed oil.
Place the courgette, oiled side down, into the pan in neat rows, don’t overlap.
Griddle on a med/high heat until you have nice dark lines. Don’t move the slices before you have a line or they won’t be as distinct. You might need to press each slice of the courgette into the pan to help get the lines.
Turn the courgettes and repeat. You might need to do this in batches if there isn’t enough room in the pan.
Put the cooked orzo into a large bowl and mix in the tomatoes and courgettes.
Pour in the oil and lemon juice, plus a sprinkle of salt and grind of pepper, mix well and then add the basil.
Crumble over the feta and add the pumpkin seeds, taste and add a little more lemon juice if needed.