Feta, rocket and olive pasta salad

Ingredients

• 350g/12oz penne, rigatoni or other similar shaped pasta

• 8-10 large sprigs of mint, leaves removed, and chopped/torn if large

• 150g/5oz frozen peas

• 200g/7oz feta cheese, crumbled

• 50g/2oz bag of rocket leaves

• 1 lemon, grated zest and juice

• flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• extra virgin olive oil

• 20-30 good-quality marinated green olives, pitted

Preparation method

1. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water with 2 sprigs of the mint for the time given on the packet. 3 minutes before the end of the cooking time, add the peas. Once the pasta and peas are cooked, drain in a colander and shake under cold running water until cool. Discard the mint sprigs.

2. Transfer to a large bowl and add the feta cheese, rocket, remaining mint, the lemon zest and half the juice, salt and pepper and a good glug of olive oil. Either roughly chop or smash the olives in a pestle and mortar and add to the pasta. Toss well and add more lemon juice, seasoning or olive oil, if preferred.

    

3. Pack in suitable containers for taking on a picnic or serve warm as part of a main course or starter with a barbecue

Source: BBC Recipes