Here’s the salad Kelly made, taken from the Moosewood cookbook “Moosewood Cooks at Home.”

We thought this was really good and will make it again.

Ingrediants:

• 1/2 pound pasta shells
  (we used some curly shells, but anything will do)

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes (we skipped the eggplant!)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 green or red bell pepper, diced

• 5 artichoke hearts, drained and quartered (14 oz can)
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 celerey stalk, sliced
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fressh dill (2 teaspoons dried) – I think we cut this in 1/2 as it seemed like a lot
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (1 teaspoon dried)
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

• 1 cup grated or crumbled feta cheese
• greek olives

Bring a large covered pot of water to a rapid boil. Cook the psata shells, uncovered, until al dente, and then drain. Rinse them under cold water until cool, and drain again.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the eggplant. Cover and cook for 3 minutes on medium heat. Stir in the salt, garlic, lemon juice, and water. Cover and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, until the egg-plant is almost tender. Add the diced red bell peppers, and if you are using dried herbs, add the dill and oregano. Simmer a few minutes more, until peppers are cooked but still have some crunch.

While the eggplant and peppers are cooking, place the artichoke hearts, cucumbers, tomatoes, celerey, scallions, fresh dill, and fresh oregano in a large salad bowl. Add the cooked eggplan and peppers. Stir in the pasta and toss well. Add salt and pepper and mroe lemon juice or olive oil to taste.

Note: This salad can be refridgerated to serve later, but the pasta may absorb the flavors and need an additional dash of lemon jioce and olive oil just before serving.