Turkish Flavor Ditalini Pasta Salad by Plantfuture

Ingredients

• 250g (9 oz) ditalini pasta
• 1 medium cucumber, diced
• 1 medium bell pepper (any color), diced
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp dried mint
• 2 tbsp turkish pepper paste
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, or to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ditalini pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to stop cooking, then set aside.
2. While the pasta cooks, prepare the vegetables: dice the cucumber, bell pepper, and tomatoes, and finely chop the red onion. Roughly chop the fresh parsley, dill, and mint.
3. Prepare the dressing: In a small skillet or saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the ground cumin, sweet paprika, red pepper flakes, and dried mint, cooking for another 30 seconds until aromatic.
4. Add the Turkish pepper paste to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes until the paste darkens and the spices are well cooked out. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice and pomegranate molasses. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
5. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled ditalini pasta, diced cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, chopped red onion, and fresh herbs (parsley, dill, mint).
6. Pour the warm dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss everything together thoroughly until all ingredients are well coated. Serve immediately or chill for at least 30 minutes for flavors to meld.