This is a rice salad with a difference – packed full of mediterranean flavours, simple to prepare and great for a summer lunch, barbeque or picnic.

Rice Salad Ingredients for 6 – 8 Portions

500g Arborio Rice

350g Cherry Tomatoes

250g Fresh Pecorino or Feta

Fresh mixed herbs such as basil, parsley

Chilli Pepper (powder, oil or fresh)

A Jar of Aubergines in Extra virgin Olive Oil

Jar of Tomato Passata

Olive Oil from the Shredded Aubergines Jar

Salt

Method

Boil the rice in salted water for 15-18 minutes, drain and stir in 2 tablespoons of oil from the jar of aubergines, leave to cool.

Add the chopped cherry tomatoes, the chopped feta, the herbs, 2 more tablespoons of the aubergine oil, 5-6 tablespoons of tomato passata, some chilli pepper to taste and the shredded aubergines to the rice and mix in well.

Serve and enjoy your rice salad with a glass (or two..) of Organic Gavi white wine !

Did you know that….

Aubergines are not actually vegetables but they are berries. They contain small nicotine but don’t worry you have to eat more than 10kg to consume the amount of nicotine equivalent to one cigarette!

In Italy aubergines are called melanzane (from the latin mala insane) that means crazy apple.

Aubergines are full in minerals, fibre and vitamins and they want make you put on weight!

Recipe courtesy of ‘La Cucina Italiana’ www.lacucinaitaliana.it