This is a good recipe for a summer barbeque for two reasons:
because, depending on the situation, you can either:
a. roast the vegetables in the oven & prepare the salad beforehand & bring it with you to the barbeque
or,
b. prepare the pasta and dressing beforehand, and char-grill the veggies on the bbq, and assemble just before eating.
The dressing is tangy and flavoursome, and by increasing the quantities required for the dressing you can make more than required and store it in a screw-top jar in the fridge and use as a salad dressing or a marinade for roasting vegetables whenever needed.
Dressing:
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2/3 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a medium-sized bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil, whisking thoroughly until the oil is fully incorporated. Stir in the garlic, thyme and oregano.
For this recipe, set half the dressing aside for the pasta. The remaining half can then be used when cooking the vegetables below.
Vegetables:
1 each of red, yellow and green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch strips
1 medium courgette (zucchini), cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 medium summer squash, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 large red onion, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch thick wedges
If barbequeing the vegetables, brush all the veg generously with the reserved dressing, before grilling the vegetables over the bbq until they are fork tender, 3 - 6 minutes each side. Brushing with any remaining dressing halfway through cooking.
or
If preparing the entire dish beforehand, pour the reserved dressing over the vegetables in a roasting tin, and place the veg in a pre-heated oven (200 degrees Celcius) for approx. 30 - 40 minutes, until the veg are tender.
Other ingredients:
1lb penne pasta, cooked according to instructions on packet
1/4 cup, firmly-packed basil, rinsed and cut into thin strips
1 cup of cooked sweetcorn
1/2 lb fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
While the pasta is still warm, toss with the reserved half of the dressing, then, when cooled, toss in the basil, sweetcorn and mozzarella. Arrange the vegetables on top. Serve warm, or cold.