Ratatouille-Style Pasta Salad
Ingredients
16 oz.
short-cut dried pasta (such as Sfoglini Organic Trumpet-Shaped Pasta)
3
medium zucchinis, halved lengthwise
1
medium eggplant, sliced into rounds about 1" thick
¾ cup
Kowalski's Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for grilling vegetables
8 oz.
Kowalski's Signature Fresh Mozzarella Cheese (from the Specialty Cheese Department), cut into ½" cubes
6 oz.
heirloom grape tomatoes, halved
¼ cup
Kowalski's Balsamic Vinegar
3 tbsp.
fresh thyme leaves
2 tbsp.
chopped garlic
- kosher salt and freshly ground Kowalski's Black Peppercorns, to taste
2 cups
fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
Directions
- In a pot of salted boiling water, prepare pasta according to pkg. directions; drain.
- Rinse pasta with cold water until completely cool; drain thoroughly and set aside.
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.
- Brush zucchini and eggplant with oil as needed; grill on preheated grill until tender and slightly charred (8-10 min.).
- Set zucchini and eggplant aside to cool slightly.
- Slice cooled zucchini and eggplant into large bite-size pieces.
- In an extra-large mixing bowl, combine zucchini, eggplant, pasta, ¾ cup oil, mozzarella, tomatoes, vinegar, thyme and garlic; toss to combine.
- Season salad to taste with salt and pepper; fold in basil.
- Let salad stand at room temperature for at least 1 hr. before serving to allow flavors to marry.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days.
Tasty Tip:
- When grilling isn't possible or desirable, zucchini and eggplant may be sautéed on the stovetop over high heat.
Switch-Up:
- Select a whole-grain or bean type of pasta. Both offer more health-helping fiber. Most people only consume half the fiber they should in a day. Fiber is key to creating a strong immune system.
