Courgette, tomato & orzo salad with feta & pumpkin seeds

This is a tasty summer salad, which can be eaten on it’s own for lunch or as part of a spread of sides. Personally I love it just as it is, but it would be great with roasted chicken, or any kind of fish.

Ingredients

Serves 4 or 6 as a side

• 350g orzo, cooked as per packet instructions

• 1 large courgette, sliced diagnonally

• 200g baby plum or cherry tomatoes, halved

• 100g feta, crumbled

• 2-3 tbsp pumpkin seeds

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Juice of 1/2 a lemon, increase if you like it tangy

• Small handful of basil leaves

Method 

• Preheat the oven to 180°c, arrange the tomatoes on a tray and drizzle with 1 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil. 

• Put the tray in the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes, allow to cool once cooked.

• Put a griddle pan on the job to heat and brush the courgette lightly on one side with rapeseed oil. 

• Place the courgette, oiled side down, into the pan in neat rows, don’t overlap.

• Griddle on a med/high heat until you have nice dark lines. Don’t move the slices before you have a line or they won’t be as distinct. You might need to press each slice of the courgette into the pan to help get the lines. 

• Turn the courgettes and repeat. You might need to do this in batches if there isn’t enough room in the pan. 

• Put the cooked orzo into a large bowl and mix in the tomatoes and courgettes.

• Pour in the oil and lemon juice, plus a sprinkle of salt and grind of pepper, mix well and then add the basil.

• Crumble over the feta and add the pumpkin seeds, taste and add a little more lemon juice if needed.