Kritharaki salad with fresh herbs

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 500 g pasta (Greek Kritharaki)
• 1 onion(s), red
• 2 shallots
• 1 cucumber(s)
• 5 tomatoes
• 1 bunch chives, fresh
• ½ bunch oregano, fresh
• 2 sprigs thyme, fresh
• 20 olives, Kalamata
• Salt
• Pepper, freshly ground
• 5 tbsp oil (orange oil)
• 1 tbsp flavoring (orange sugar – sugar flavored with orange zest)
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• e.g. tomato paste
• e.g. feta cheese or sheep’s cheese
• e.g. garlic, fresh

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Total time approx. 15 minutes

spring-fresh and light

Cook the kritharaki in lightly salted water according to the package instructions until al dente. Peel the cucumber and dice it not too finely. Quarter the tomatoes (they should be aromatic tomatoes, such as black plum tomatoes), then cut them into fairly small pieces. Peel the red onion and shallots and slice them into rings. Chop the herbs finely, reserving a few for garnish. Mix everything with the olives in a fairly small bowl and stir into the kritharaki. Now prepare the vinaigrette: Mix the orange oil with the balsamic vinegar and the orange sugar. Season generously with salt and pepper and pour over the salad. Let the salad sit for a while and season again if necessary, as the rice noodles will absorb many of the spices and flavors. Garnish with the reserved herbs. If desired, stir in some diced feta or sheep’s cheese, or season the salad with some chopped fresh garlic. And if you like it a bit more tomatoey, you can mix the kritharaki with tomato paste after cooking and then continue as described above. We like this salad with grilled meat, baguette, and tzatziki.