Tirokafteri Pasta Salad with Crushed Pita Chips
This Tirokafteri Pasta Salad features tender pasta, crisp veggies, and briny olives all dressed in a creamy tirokafteri-inspired spicy feta dressing and finished with a mountain of crushed pita chips.
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
Tirokafteri (Spicy Feta) Dressing
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- ⅓ cup pickled hot peppers packed in oil
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 200g (7oz) feta crumbled
- 150g (5oz) Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup olive oil
Tirokafteri Pasta Salad
- 500g (18oz) dried short pasta I used fiorelli
- 1 batch Tirokafteri Dressing see above
- ¼ red onion thinly sliced
- 3 mini cucumbers sliced
- 255g (9oz) cherry tomatoes halved
- ⅓ cup Kalamata olives pitted
- 150g (5oz) pita chips crushed
- ¼ cup peashoots
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves tightly packed
- lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
For the Dressing
- Place the garlic in a food processor. Add the pickled hot peppers and crushed red pepper flakes. Blitz until the mixture resembled mulch.
- Add the feta, and Greek yogurt, and turn on the food processor. Stream in the olive oil and continue to blitz until a smooth cohesive mixture forms. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover, and chill until ready to serve.
For the Salad
- Place a large pot of water over medium-high heat and bring it up to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it according to the package’s directions.
- When the pasta is done, drain and rinse the pasta under cold water. Transfer it to a very large bowl and pour the tirokafteri over top. Toss to coat. Taste and season with salt if needed.
- Add the red onion, cucumber, and tomatoes to the bowl. Add the olives, pickled hot peppers, and crushed pita chips. Fold the veggies into the pasta before transferring the salad to a serving platter. Garnish the salad with pea shoots, lemon wedges, and fresh mint and serve.
Notes
If making the salad in advance, hold off on adding the pita chips and the garnishes until ready to serve. The salad can be made up to 24 hours in advance.