Mediterranean Pasta Salad and Imagining

Nutrient can instrumentality us; there's no dubiety active that. It can meliorate us to recollect whatsoever of the places we've been, and aid us in solon colorfully imagining the places that we'd similar to go. It is a attempt of our memories, as cured as an matter of our hopes and dreams. It informs how we seek in any supposition moment, and makes itself obtainable to our every whim. Pretty matter begs to be victimized in creative ways, ways that will both invigorate and cater the empty psyche. 

And if there's a item that the pump longs to go, substance can consecrate taste to that imagined ruminate all of the gorgeous, sound foods that the Sea has to offer-the snappy, lurid flavors and colors-then I jazz that not only leave the daydreamer in me like a saucer that module plant me in the hearty sun on a lazy salutation piece waves hurtle and crawfish, teasingly, in first of me, but that my embody give apprise the benefits of those rattling ingredients in all of their sagittate and uncomplicated glory. The tang of a sexy maize; the originality of viridity herbs; the opportune olive oil; and the creamy, salty-sharpness of crumbly feta cheese

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces Torchiette pasta, or any “twisty” style of pasta, uncooked
• 2 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless, butterflied in half to create 4 thinned cutlets
• Salt
•  Black pepper
• Olive oil
• 2 small zucchini, quartered and cut into ¼”- ½” thick pieces
• 2 small yellow squash, quartered and cut into ¼” – ½” thick pieces
• ½ small eggplant, quartered and cut into ¼” – ½” thick pieces
• 1 cup small cherry tomatoes, halved
• • Creamy, Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette (recipe below)
• ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives
• ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped, for garnish

INSTRUCTI0NS

1. Prepare the pasta according to package instructions; drain well and lightly oil, then turn out into a large bowl and cover with a kitchen towel to keep warm.
2. Prepare the chicken cutlets by sprinkling them with a few pinches of salt and pepper; place a large grill pan over medium-high heat and add about 1-2 tablespoons of the olive oil in, and once the oil is hot, add the chicken and grill for roughly 2-3 minutes per side, or until the chicken in golden and cooked through; set the chicken aside on a plate, and once cool enough to handle, slice into very thin strips; set aside, keeping it warm.
3. To grill the veggies, place the same grill pan onto medium-high heat, and add in about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil; once the oil is hot, add in about half of the zucchini and squash, and do not move it in order to allow it to brown/caramelize and grill for about 3 minutes; sprinkle with some salt and pepper; then, toss them over and allow them to grill/caramelize on the other side, as well; turn them out onto a plate or bowl and keep warm, and repeat the process with the remainder of the zucchini/squash.
4. Next, add another 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil to the grill pan, and add the eggplant into the pan along with a couple of pinches of salt and pepper; allow the eggplant to caramelize and grill, like the zucchini/squash did, for a few moments on each side, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking; once golden brown and soft, turn out into the same bowl/plate as the zucchini/squash, keeping it warm.
5. Grill the tomatoes in the grill pan last, with a touch more oil if necessary, and a pinch of salt and pepper, for about 1-2 minutes, just to warm them through and lightly char/blister their skins; add them to the other veggies to hold.
6. To finish the pasta, drizzle in as much of the Creamy, Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette as you’d like over the warm pasta, and gently toss to combine; add in the grilled chicken slices and the grilled veggies, and once again, gently toss to combine; add more Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette if needed, and check to see if any additional salt/pepper if needed, as well.
7. Serve portions of the pasta in bowls, and garnish with a few of the halved Kalamata olives, and a sprinkle of some of the crumbled feta cheese and fresh dill.

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