PASTA SALAD WITH SPRING VEGETABLES AND TOMATOES

Pasta Salad with Spring Vegetables and Tomatoes image

This light pasta salad is tossed with ginger-scented roasted tomatoes, charred snap peas and scallions, and plenty of fresh spring and summer herbs.

Provided by Yotam Ottolenghi

Categories Bon Appétit Dinner Side Pasta Salad Tomato Green Onion/Scallion Sugar Snap Pea Mint Basil Vegetarian Vegan Summer Spring

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 24

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Ingredients

Roasted ginger tomatoes:
9 garlic cloves, crushed
3 sprigs thyme
3 (2-inch) strips orange zest
1 (3-inch) piece ginger, peeled, cut into very thin matchsticks
4 cups cherry tomatoes
6 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Charred peas and onions:
3 large spring onions (about 8 ounces)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed, halved on a diagonal (about 3 cups)
Kosher salt
Pasta and assembly:
12 ounces casarecce, fusilli, or penne pasta
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons (or more) fresh lemon juice
2 cups thinly sliced basil, divided
2 cups thinly sliced mint, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil (for drizzling)

Steps:

Roasted ginger tomatoes:
Preheat oven to 325°. Toss garlic, thyme, orange zest, ginger, tomatoes, orange juice, oil, brown sugar, salt, and a pinch of pepper in a 13x9" baking dish. Roast, gently tossing mixture every 20 minutes, until tomatoes are tender and just bursting but still intact, 50-60 minutes. Pluck out and discard thyme and orange zest.
Charred peas and onions:
Separate spring onion stems from bulbs. Cut stems in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 2" pieces. Slice bulbs through root end into quarters. Heat a dry medium skillet, preferably cast iron, over high. Add 1 Tbsp. oil, then sugar snap peas, and shake pan so sugar snaps spread out in a single layer. Cook, tossing once, until charred on both sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in same skillet. Add spring onion stems and bulbs, arranging in a single layer. Cook, tossing once, until charred, about 4 minutes. Transfer to bowl with sugar snap peas; season with salt.
Pasta and assembly:
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, transfer to a large bowl, and let cool, tossing around now and again to make sure it's not sticking.
Add tomato mixture, sugar snap peas and spring onions, lemon juice, 1 1/2 cups basil, and 1 1/2 cups mint to pasta and toss gently to combine (you don't want to break up the tomatoes too much); season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice if desired.
Serve pasta salad topped with remaining 1/2 cup basil and 1/2 cup mint and a drizzle of oil.