Serves 2
Preparation time 15 minutes
Cooking time 10–12 minutes
200 g (7 oz) dried penne or other pasta shapes
200 g (7 oz) shelled broad beans, fresh or frozen
50 g (2 oz) sun-blush(semi-dried) tomatoes in oil, drained and roughly chopped
handful of mixed herbs, such as parsley, tarragon, chervil and chives, roughly chopped
50 g (2 oz) feta cheese, crumbled or roughly chopped
salt and black pepper
Dressing
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
½ teaspoon wholegrain mustard
Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions until al dente. Drain, refresh in cold water and drain thoroughly.
Meanwhile, cook the broad beans in a separate saucepan of lightly salted boiling water for 4–5 minutes until just tender. Drain and plunge into ice-cold water to cool. Peel off the skins.
Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Put the beans in a serving dish and stir in the pasta, tomatoes and herbs. Toss with the dressing. Season with pepper and scatter over the feta. Serve immediately.
For bean & two cheeses pasta salad, use a 150 g (5 oz) buffalo mozzarella ball and 50 g (2 oz) Gorgonzola. Dice the cheeses and sprinkle on top of the salad instead of the feta.