Ingredients:

  • 16 oz (450g) whole grain rotini or fusilli
  • 1 can (15 oz / 425g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup (50g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 cups (300g) cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 English cucumber (300g), diced into 1/4 inch pieces
  • 1 red bell pepper (150g), finely diced
  • 1/2 cup (60g) red onion, finely minced
  • 1/2 cup (75g) crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tbsp (45ml) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) red wine vinegar
  • 1 clove (5g) garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp (5g) dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp (3g) sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp (1g) cracked black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook for exactly one minute less than the package directions. Wait until the noodle has a tiny white core before draining.
  2. Drain the pasta in a colander and immediately rinse under cold water. Continue rinsing until the pasta feels chilled to the touch. Note: This stops the cooking and removes starch.
  3. Dice the cucumber, peppers, and onions. Ensure they are roughly the size of the halved cherry tomatoes to keep the flavor balanced.
  4. Combine olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, sea salt, and black pepper in a small jar.
  5. Shake the jar vigorously. Do this until the dressing is a cloudy, cohesive emulsion. Note: Shaking creates smaller oil droplets for better coating.
  6. Toss the chilled pasta, chickpeas, and diced vegetables in a large mixing bowl.
  7. Pour the dressing over the top. Fold gently with a spatula until every piece of pasta is glossed and shimmering.
  8. Gently fold in the crumbled feta and chopped parsley last. Be careful not to over mix, or the feta will turn the dressing a cloudy white.