recipes

Warm Pasta with Feta, Pancetta and Bean Salad

I like to serve pasta salads warm. That said, my children absolutely love pasta salads for school lunch, so cold works well here too. Try red kidney beans or butter beans instead of the cannellini and goats cheese instead of feta.

Ingredients

• 300g Roma Farfalle pasta
• 100g pancetta or bacon, chopped
• 4 Roma Sundried Tomato halves, roughly chopped
• 400g canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 150g feta cheese
• 100g rocket

For the dressing:

1. 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
2. ½ tbsp Dijon mustard
3. 4 tbsp Roma Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4. Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water, following the packet directions.
2. Drain the beans, rinse and place in a saucepan with some water and olive oil. Heat through and strain.
3. Heat the frying pan over a medium heat, add the pancetta and cook for 4–5 minutes until crisp. Remove from the heat and drain on kitchen towel.
4. Add the beans, sun dried tomatoes, rocket and pancetta to the pasta.
5. Crumble over the feta and gently combine.

To make the dressing:

1. Combine the olive oil, sherry vinegar and mustard in a jar or jug.
2. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the pasta. Toss and serve immediately.