Now, let’s talk a little bit about Greek salad. I just want to share with you how we in Greece eat our Greek salad and then you can tell me how you eat your Greek salad where you live.
Greek salad consists of the following ingredients:
Tomato, cucumber, onion, green bell pepper, olives and optionally feta cheese. As a dressing we use only extra virgin olive oil, salt and dried oregano. In some occasions because of lack of one or two ingredients we simply omit them.
While living in the States and travelling to Europe I tried different versions and tweaks of this salad which were very tasty and rich in flavor, but somehow I always return to the original one, I’ve learned to eat since I was a kid.
Today, and because our challenge for World on a Plate is to make a pasta salad that is traditional to our countries, I have decided to offer you yet another tweak on the traditional Greek salad only this will be with pasta.
This dish is delicious full of summer flavors and additionally is a full meal on its own. It is sort of 2 in 1, meaning a main course and salad at the same time. I and my husband really enjoyed it. My picky son wants dishes to be clear cut, that is salad one dish, main course another dish, sweet yet another dish. So, as you can understand, he just gave me the looks and passed this one.
It is really tasty, very easy to make, light and full of Greek flavors!
World on a Plate is a monthly event with a different theme every month! Each one of us makes something traditional in his/her country based on this theme. If you want to participate and your country is not already listed, go to Pola’s blog!
Greek Pasta Salad
Ingredients
300 gr./10 oz. pasta
1 tomato, cut in pieces
1 green bell pepper, cut in squares
1 red florina pepper (red bell pepper will do just fine), cut in squares
3 pickled cucumbers, cut in slices
1 cucumber, cut in slices
10 kalamata olives, pitted
½ big onion or a small one chopped
For the dressing
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp cider vinegar
40 gr./1.5 oz. feta cheese
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper to your liking
Instructions
Boil pasta according to your liking, adding to the pot 1 tbsp olive oil while it is boiling.
While pasta is boiling, make the dressing by putting all the ingredients in a blender and mix very well.
Pour the dressing in a non-reactive vase and store in the fridge.
You can make the dressing couple of hours ahead of time and leave it in the fridge. This way the flavors will be enhanced.
As soon as they are ready, drain them and rinse very well until they are cooled down.
Put the pasta and the vegetables in a bowl and mix.
Add the dressing and mix until all pasta and veggies are covered with it!
Serve and enjoy!
- 300 gr./10 oz. pasta
- 1 tomato, cut in pieces
- 1 green bell pepper, cut in squares
- 1 red florina pepper (red bell pepper will do just fine), cut in squares
- 3 pickled cucumbers, cut in slices
- 1 cucumber, cut in slices
- 10 kalamata olives, pitted
- ½ big onion or a small one chopped
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp cider vinegar
- 40 gr./1.5 oz. feta cheese
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to your liking
- Boil pasta according to your liking, adding to the pot 1 tbsp olive oil while it is boiling.
- While pasta is boiling, make the dressing by putting the olive oil, the cider vinegar, the feta, the onion powder, the garlic powder, the dried oregano, the salt and pepper in a blender and mix very well.
- Pour the dressing in a non-reactive vase and store in the fridge.
- You can make the dressing couple of hours ahead of time and leave it in the fridge.
- This way the flavors will be enhanced.
- As soon as they are ready, drain them and rinse very well until they are cooled down.
- Put the pasta and the vegetables in a bowl and mix.
- Add the dressing and mix until all pasta and veggies are covered with it!
- Serve and enjoy!
- 300 γρ. ζυμαρικά
- 1 ντομάτα κομμένη σε κομματάκια
- 1 πράσινη πιπέρια, κομμένη σε μικρά τετράγωνα
- 1 πιπεριά Φλωρίνης κομμένη σε μικρά τετράγωνα
- 3 αγγουράκια τουρσί, κομμένα σε φέτες
- 1 αγγούρι, κομμένο σε φέτες
- 10 ελιές, χωρίς κουκούτσι
- ½ κρεμμύδι μικρό ψιλοκομμένο
- ⅓ φλιτζάνι έξτρα παρθένο ελαιόλαδο
- 3 κ.σ. Μηλόξιδο
- 40 γρ. τυρί φέτα
- ¼ κ.γ. σκόνη κρεμμύδι
- ¼ κ.γ. σκόνη σκόρδου
- ¼ κ.γ. ρίγανη
- Αλάτι και πιπέρι σύμφωνα με τις προτιμήσεις σας
- Βράζετε τα ζυμαρικά σύμφωνα με τις προτιμήσεις σας, προσθέτοντας στην κατσαρόλα 1 κουταλιά της σούπας ελαιόλαδο, ενώ βράζει.
- Όσο γίνονται τα ζυμαρικά, κάντε τη σάλτσα, βάζοντας το λάδι, το μηλόξιδο, τη φέτα, το κρεμμύδι, το σκόρδο, τη ρίγανη, το αλάτι και το πιπέρι σε ένα μπλέντερ και ανακατεύοντας πολύ καλά.
- Βάλτε τη σάλτσα σε ένα μπολ και στο ψυγείο.
- Μπορείτε να κάνετε τη σάλτσα μερικές ώρες πριν και να την αφήσετε στο ψυγείο.
- Με αυτό τον τρόπο θα αναμειχθούν καλύτερα οι γεύσεις.
- Μόλις είναι έτοιμα τα ζυμαρικά, τα στραγγίζετε και τα ξεπλένετε πολύ καλά μέχρι να κρυώσουν λίγο.
- Βάλτε τα ζυμαρικά και τα λαχανικά σε ένα μπολ και ανακατέψτε.
- Προσθέστε τη σάλτσα και αναμίξτε έως ότου καλύψει όλα τα ζυμαρικά.
