Pasta With Grilled Vegetables And Feta Recipes

GRILLED VEGGIE AND ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the orzo according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
• Add the dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 cup of the olive oil to a large bowl. Whisk to combine, then add all the prepped vegetables. Toss the vegetables to coat them in the marinade.
• Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is heated, add the vegetables in batches, being sure to keep them in a single layer and not to overcrowd the pan. Grill until the vegetables have nice char marks and are beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the vegetables and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a rimmed baking sheet. Keep grilling until all the vegetables are cooked. Cool slightly, then cut the vegetables into small bite size pieces. Save any leftover marinade to build the dressing for the salad.
• To the serving bowl with the leftover marinade from the vegetables, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Whisk to combine. Add the cooked orzo and the chopped grilled vegetables and toss to combine. Add the feta, parsley and dill and toss again. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve immediately or keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

BAKED FETA PASTA WITH VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Combine grape tomatoes, asparagus, zucchini, onion, bell pepper, and corn kernels in a baking dish large enough to accommodate all vegetables. Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper flakes as well as a hit of salt and pepper. Toss to coat and make a well in the center of the dish. Place feta blocks in the well and drizzle with more olive oil. Season feta with salt, pepper, and a pinch of pepper flakes. Nestle thyme sprigs into the veggies around the dish.
• Bake uncovered in the preheated oven until vegetables are soft and feta is lightly browned, about 40 minutes.
• When the vegetables and feta have cooked for 25 minutes, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Set aside.
• When the vegetables and feta are finished cooking, turn the broiler to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C) and broil vegetables for 1 minute for some final browning.
• Squeeze lemon over vegetables and feta and stir in fresh parsley. Stir in rigatoni and reserved pasta water to help feta coat pasta evenly. Season with salt and pepper as needed and sprinkle with Pecorino Romano cheese.

CHICKEN PENNE WITH GRILLED VEGGIES AND FETA CHEESE

Steps:

• In a resealable plastic bag, combine 3 tablespoons canola oil and balsamic vinegar. Add chicken, and marinate for 30 minutes,. heat grill.,.
• Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat; add 1 tablespoons oil and sauté garlic about 1 minute. Add drained tomatoes and olives; cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer. Keep warm.
• Remove chicken from marinade and season with salt and pepper; discard marinade. In a bowl, toss zucchini, red and yellow peppers, and portabellas with remaining 1 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper .
• Place chicken and veggies on hot grill. Cook 5 minutes per side or until chicken is done and veggies are tender. Slice chicken on the diagonal in 1/4-inch slices, and veggies in bite-size pieces.
• In a large bowl, toss pasta, tomato and olive mixture, grilled chicken vegetables and feta. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley. serve,.

ORZO PASTA SALAD WITH GRILLED CONFETTI VEGETABLES AND FETA

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring about 4 cups of salted water to a boil. Add orzo pasta and cook according to package directions, about 6-8 minutes, until al dente (firm to the bite). Drain and rinse under cold water. Let orzo sit in colander to drain well. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with about 2 tsp (5 ml) olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, oregano, lemon juice, lemon peel, salt and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
• Preheat a barbeque or grill to medium-high heat. Brush zucchini strips and yellow pepper with a little olive oil. Place these, along with corn, on barbeque and grill for 4-5 minutes on each side until grill marks appear and vegetables are tender. Remove and set aside on a baking tray to cool. Once cool, cut the kernels off of the corn husks (there should be about 2 cups) and chop the zucchini and yellow peppers into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces.
• To the orzo pasta, add the zucchini, yellow pepper, corn, cherry tomatoes, feta and pine nuts. Drizzle over lemon vinaigrette and toss gently to combine. Garnish with torn basil leaves.
• In a hurry? Chop zucchini and yellow pepper into ½-inch dice. Place in large bowl along with cherry tomatoes and 1 cup corn (canned). Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Spread evenly onto a baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned, about 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside and let cool to room temperature and then toss with orzo salad as above.