Summer Salad

The past week has been host to what can only be described as a heat wave here in the UK, and so to get in the summer mood, I thought I would post a recipe idea. I find myself craving little else but salads and fruits in hot weather, and as a pasta lover also, I particularly liked the idea of this recipe, located from Martha Stewart's website. I also thought I'd add some images located from various sources, that really get me excited for the season ahead. Enjoy!

Recipe: Pasta Salad with Roasted Broccoli


Ingredients

2 pounds (2 heads) broccoli
3 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise (skin on)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 ounces penne pasta
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
8 ounces jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed and cut into 1/2-inch strips (1 Cup)
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
1/2 cup walnuts, broken into pieces
Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Trim 1 inch from stems of broccoli. Peel outer layer of stems; cut diagonally into 1/2-inch slices. Separate florets into bite-size pieces. On one large or two small rimmed baking sheets, toss broccoli, garlic, and 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer; roast, rotating sheets and turning broccoli halfway through, until tender and beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, according to package instructions. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water; rinse under cold water until cool, and drain. Return to pot.
Remove skin from roasted garlic. In a small bowl, mash garlic until it forms a paste; whisk in lemon juice and remaining tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture over pasta; toss in broccoli, red peppers, olives, and walnuts. Add some reserved cooking water, if needed. Serve at room temperature or chilled.