Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad

This recipe formed part of this weeks Coles Supermarket catalogue. According to the recipe it serves 6 but I am inclined to say it serves up to 10 so you may wish to halve the recipe.


2 corn cobs sliced into 4 or 5
1 medium zucchini cut into chunks
1 brown onion cut into thin wedges
250 gram cherry tomatoes cut in half
1/2 butter nut pumpkin cut into chunks
500gm penne pasta
2 sprigs rosemary
2 cloves garlic not peeled
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil


Dressing
2 teaspoon seeded mustard
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 balsamic or red wine vinegar
( and the cooked garlic cloves)

freshly grated Parmesan cheese to serve

- pre-heat oven to 220C (200c fan force)
- combine all ingredients except dressing and Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper in a bowl
- tip onto a large baking paper lined tray and roast for 25 - 30 minutes until vegetables are golden
- cook pasta according to packet directions
- combine dressing ingredients together. Peel garlic, squash on a board and add into the dressing. toss all ingredients together and serve with Parmesan cheese.

Bread Salad with Mozzarella -Coffee at Tarts Cafe, Northbridge

Saturday morning at Tarts Cafe was crazy. Everyone appeared to be out this morning before the hot weather set in for the day. Going to cafes in the neighbourhood are always full of unexpected surprises of catching up with friends and neighbours. And this morning was no exception.

Aaron the barista is leaving which is disappointing as he makes an excellent soy latte. He is moving to the Lincoln's Cafe still within the neighbourhood. It will be opening within a few weeks. Definitely we give it a go.

Couldn't resist copying out a salad recipe from a magazine. I didn't have any mozzarella but it was still delicious and filling. I try and have a few vegetarian meals a week.

Bread Salad with Mozzarella

1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
pinch of salt
1/3 cup EV olive oil
1 loaf ciabatta (or similar) cut in 2-3cm cubes ( I used Turkish bread still warm from the
500gm stringless beans Istanbul Kitchen)
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1-2 tablespoon tiny capers
400gm can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1-2 punnets cherry tomatoes
500gm mozzarella, torn
1/2 bunch basil leaves

preheat oven 190C
combine garlic with pinch of salt to make a paste
add oil and whisk to make garlic oil
place cubed bead in bowl and toss 2 tablespoons of garlic oil
place on lined baking tray lined and bake 10minutes until crisp and golden
cook beans until they loose their "squeak" then drain and refresh under cold water
combine vinegar with pinch of salt and whisk until salt has dissolved
whisk in remaining garlic oil and capers
combine bread, beans, chickpeas, tomatoes, mozzarella and basil in a serving bowl
drizzle dressing over
stand 10 minutes
serves 6 ( serves 4 as a lunch)