Taverna Salad

Ingredients

• 80ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 30ml red wine vinegar
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 0.5g dried oregano
• Salt and pepper
• 3 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced into 1.5cm pieces (or 150g halved cherry tomatoes)
• 1 (425g) can chickpeas, rinsed
• 1 orange or yellow bell pepper, halved, seeded and diced into 1.5cm pieces
• ½ large English cucumber, halved, seeded and diced into 1.5cm pieces
• 75g pitted Kalamata olives
• 15g chopped fresh parsley
• 40g minced red onion or shallot
• 20g (drained) capers, coarsely chopped
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 15ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pita (15cm) pita
• 15ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 (225g) block halloumi cheese, patted dry and cut into 2cm-thick slices

Instructions

1. Whisk 80 ml olive oil with the vinegar, garlic and oregano in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, chickpeas, bell pepper, cucumber, olives, parsley, red onion, capers and scallions. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.
3. Cut the pita into 2.5 cm pieces. Toss with 15 ml olive oil and salt. Heat a 20 cm skillet over medium, add the pita and cook, tossing often, until toasted and golden, about 5 minutes. Return to the bowl to cool and reserve the skillet.
4. Drizzle the halloumi slices with 15 ml olive oil. Heat the same skillet over medium-high and cook the halloumi until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into bite-size cubes.
5. Add the pita and halloumi to the salad, toss well and serve.