I’m not a big fan of chunky pasta salads but I make an exception for one made with orzo. This one is incredibly easy to make either as a vegetarian main course or a side dish with roast chicken. It’s quite a good one to make for a packed lunch to take to work too. With it’s mix of green beans, tomatoes, pine nuts, capers and feta, it’s tangy, salty, sweet and crunchy all at the same time. I do mix it up a bit with chopped red peppers and artichokes if I have them in the fridge to use up though. Completely delicious, it’s a real taste of summer in a bowl.

• Serves 4
• 200g orzo pasta
• 1 x 140g pack of slow roasted cherry tomatoes
• 10 fresh cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 x 300g pack of dwarf green beans, trimmed and cut into 4
• 1 x 120g pack of black or green pitted olives, quartered
• 30g pack of flat leaf parsley
• 200g barrel aged feta
• 50g toasted pine nuts
• 100g baby capers in brine, drained
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make…

• Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Rinse thoroughly with cold water and leave to drain in a sieve for a few minutes.
• Cook the green beans in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to arrest the cooking process.
• Empty the slow roasted cherry tomatoes and all the oil into a a serving bowl. Add the drained pasta and coat it in the tomato-infused oil.
• Add in the drained green beans, chopped fresh tomatoes, olives, parsley, capers, parsley and season with a little salt and black pepper. Gently combine the ingredients. Have a taste. Add more black pepper and extra-virgin olive oil so it tastes how you like it. Once you’re happy, crumble the feta over the top and serve.

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