Picnic pasta salad with roasted tomato and tuna

Picnic pasta salad with roasted tomato and tuna

SERVES 4

The fragrant aroma and soft, saucelike texture of slow-roasted tomatoes adds great dimension to this humble pasta salad. The mashed tomatoes help bind all the flavors together into a large bowl of comfort. Roast your favorite tomatoes of any shape or size, including cherry tomatoes, and if you want to make the dish extra pretty, use a collage of different tomato colors.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds (910g) fresh tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons (60ml) olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (5-ounce / 142-g) cans tuna packed in oil, drained
• 1 pound (455g) fusilli pasta
• 1/4 cup (15g) minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup (150g) crumbled feta cheese
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to (205°C).
2. Place the tomatoes on a sheet pan and brush them with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Roast the tomatoes until soft, about 25 minutes. (Roasting time will vary depending on the size and ripeness of the tomatoes.) Allow the tomatoes to cool, then quarter them and remove their seeds, if desired. Cut the quarters into small chunks. Set aside. (If the tomato skins are tough, remove them after roasting.)
4. In a pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft. Remove from the heat.
5. Add the tuna to the pan with the onion and garlic and stir to combine. Allow to cool.
6. Cook the fusilli according to the package directions and drain. Place the cooked fusilli in a large bowl.
7. Add the roasted tomatoes, tuna mixture, the 1/2 teakspoon salt, the parsley, feta cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the bowl with the fusilli.
8. Stir the mixture well to combine. Serve warm or cold.