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Cypriot-inspired, intensely flavourful halloumi pasta

Published on 11 September, 2015
Last Updated on 9 October, 2018 by 31 Comments

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This zingy pasta dish was inspired by a meal in Cyprus. Made with halloumi, courgette, aubergine and fresh cherry tomatoes

On a family vacation in Cyprus, we stopped at traditional Cypriot restaurant, Pithari Tavern and enjoyed a really delicious, intense pasta dish made with halloumi. It held joyful memories for us all, so I have since created my own version, using halloumi, courgette, aubergine and fresh cherry tomatoes. 

The result is a fantastic dish, perfect for eating for lunch or dinner. Here’s how to make it.

Ingredients

  • Glug of olive oil
  • 1 big handful (325g /11.46 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 striped aubergine/eggplant, diced into 3/4 inch chunks
  • 1 courgette, diced into 3/4 inch chunks
  • A block of halloumi, diced into 3/4 inch chunks
  • Big pinch mixed dried herbs
  • Big glug (75ml /2.54 fl oz) white wine
  • 2-3 large handfuls (275g /9.7 oz) of dried penne pasta
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

Put the pasta on to boil in plenty of salted water. Heat up the olive oil in a pan, then chuck in the cherry tomatoes.

Frying cherry tomatoes in a pan

Fry for a minute until they just start to soften.

Fried, softened cherry tomatoes

Add the aubergine, courgette, halloumi and herbs.

Aubergine, courgette, halloumi and herbs are added to the frying pan

Keep frying for a few minutes until it all starts to caramelise and the flavour of the tomatoes has intensified.

Frying the vegetables and halloumi until caramelised

Add the wine and bring to a simmer to let the alcohol boil off for a minute, then mix well and season to taste.

Adding wine to the mix of vegetables and halloumi

Cooking the halloumi and vegetables for this delicious halloumi pasta meal

 

Drain the cooked pasta a stir into the sauce.

Stir in drained, cooked pasta to create this delicious halloumi pasta

Close up of halloumi pasta with vegetables

Serve and enjoy!

Here’s that halloumi pasta recipe again in a printable format:

Intensely flavourful cherry tomato and halloumi pasta

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 2
Author: Emily Leary
A rich, flavourful pasta dish, inspired by a meal in Cyprus and made using easily sourced, local ingredients
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Metric - Ounces

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 325 g cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 striped aubergines (eggplant), diced
  • 1 courgettes (zucchini) diced
  • A block of halloumi diced
  • 1 tsp mixed dried herbs
  • 75 ml red wine
  • 275 g penne pasta
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Put the pasta on to boil in plenty of salted water.
  • Heat up the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat, then chuck in the cherry tomatoes.
  • Fry for a minute, then add the aubergine, courgette, halloumi and herbs.
  • Keep frying for 5-10 minutes until it all starts to caramelise and the flavour of the tomatoes has intensified, then pour in a good glug of white wine.
  • Let the alcohol boil off for a minute, then mix well and season to taste.
  • Drain the pasta and stir into the sauce, then serve.
* Note: nutritional information is estimated, based on publicly available data. Nutrient values may vary from those published.
Course: Pasta meals
Keywords: cherry tomatoes, halloumi, pasta
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What’s your favourite ever pasta meal?

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This delicious halloumi pasta with vegetables was inspired by a meal in Cyprus. Find out how to make the dish at amummytoo.co.uk #recipe #pasta

For another tempting pasta dish, try this butternut squash, spinach and ricotta lasagne.

Get Your Kids to Eat Anything by Emily Leary

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Comments

  7. What a beautiful looking dish and their’s nothing like making a quick meal on holiday n then devouring it with a glass of wine :) Simply Blissful !

    Reply

  8. Oh my, this sounds amazing!! I am in love with halloumi, but I haven’t been able to find the good stuff since moving to the US, so I haven’t had any in like a year! This has given me a total craving though….will be setting out on another search next week!

    Reply

  11. I’m pretty much going to be jumping up and down with excitement for anything that’s got halloumi in it. I haven’t yet paired it with pasta though. I think I need to and I’m all for pinches and handfuls even when not on holiday.

    Reply

    • Yay hope you enjoy it. And yes, I think with the exception of baking, where being precise is a bit more important, it’s much more fun to just chuck in a bit of this and that :)

      Reply

  14. How perfect, I am eating halloumi as I type this :-) it sounds wonderful. I agree on the villa front, I much prefer being able to cook should I choose than being someone that’s all inclusive with little choice. What really reminds me of holiday though is saganaki – another friend cheese dish how original! I’ve never tried recreating it at home though! Maybe now is the time.

    Reply

  15. This pasta dish looks amazing, and I love how not only you were able to make it in Greece, but you used a traditional Greek cheese! I love halloumi, especially when it’s on fire! Pinning!

    Reply

  16. I looooove halloumi. Having Greek roots, I’m a sucker for anything and everything Mediterranean. :) I’ll have to make this very soon. I have a handful of cherry tomatoes in the garden that will be ready to eat in the next few days! Thanks for sharing this recipe. <3

    Reply
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