Summer eggplant, cherry tomato and chickpea salad
A summer chickpea salad with slow-roasted tomatoes, roasted eggplants, barley, olives and fresh herbs.
Servings 8 people
Ingredients
To make the slow-roasted tomatoes
- 500 grams (1.1 lb) cherry tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
To make the roasted eggplants
- 3 medium eggplants
- 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
To make the salad
- 750 grams (4 1/2 cups) chickpeas, already cooked
- 125 grams (2/3 cups) dried barley
- 2 tablespoons Taggiasche olives, pitted
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
- Extra virgin olive oil
- ½ lemon, juice
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Make the slow roasted tomatoes.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350 degrees F).
- Wash the tomatoes, cut them in half and place them on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper, and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and dried oregano. Roast in the oven for about 35 minutes. Spoon the tomatoes, with their sauce, into a jar or other airtight container and store in the fridge until ready to use.
Make the roasted eggplants.
- Preheat the oven to 210°C (425 degrees F).
- Cut the eggplants into sticks and collect them in a bowl. Dress them with extra virgin olive oil, salt, dried oregano and breadcrumbs. Toss them well, then distribute them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Roast in the oven for about 35-40 minutes, until golden brown. Set the eggplants aside until ready to use.
Assemble the salad.
- Cook the barley in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain it and run it under cold water to stop the cooking.
- In a large bowl, add the chickpeas, the barley, the slow roasted tomatoes and the roasted eggplants. Add the olives and the chopped fresh herbs.
- Mix thoroughly and dress the salad with extra virgin olive oil and some lemon juice, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, if needed.
- Keep the salad at room temperature for about one hour, or in the fridge for a few hours, before serving it. It keeps well in the fridge for a day or two.
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