Goat’s cheese and watermelon salad
Juicy watermelon makes the perfect partner to tangy goat’s cheese in this easy-to-assemble pasta salad. Flavour and texture are provided by crunchy Belgian endive, peppery arugula and toasted pine nuts, which combine to give a Mediterranean flair.
200 grams (7 oz) penne, preferably whole wheat
125 grams (4 oz) firm goat’s cheese
1⁄2 small watermelon, peeled, cubed and deseeded
100 grams (3 1⁄2 oz) arugula
1⁄4 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 small heads Belgian endive
4 slices prosciutto, trimmed of all excess fat and cut into strips
Mint dressing
2 1⁄2 tablespoons mild olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1.Cook the pasta in boiling water for 11–13 minutes or according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold running water, then drain thoroughly and set aside to cool.
2.Put all the ingredients for the dressing in a screw-top jar and shake together well. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper. Both the cheese and prosciutto are quite salty, so no extra salt should be needed.
3.Crumble the cheese into the cooled pasta and add the watermelon. Pour the dressing over and lightly toss together, then add the arugula and pine nuts.
4.Separate the Belgian endive into individual leaves and arrange on a serving platter or shallow salad bowl. Arrange the salad on top and scatter with the prosciutto.
Variations• Feta cheese may be used instead of goat’s cheese. Reduce the salt content slightly by soaking in a bowl of cold water for 2–3 minutes, then draining. Crumble or cut into small cubes.• Instead of the watermelon, try cubed honeydew melon or diced ripe mango. Add the squeezed juice of 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger to the dressing.
Serves 4
Preparation time 25 minutes
Cooking time 15 minutes
Each serving
20.5 g protein • 25.5 g fat of which 6.5 g saturates • 42 g carbohydrate • 11.5 g fibre • 501 Calories
