Ingredients
500 g assorted seedless grapes, washed and taken off the vine
100 g smaller grapes such as currants or muscatels, kept as small bunches 5 tarragon sprigs, leaves picked, reserving the stalks
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil, plus extra for finishing
200 g block good-quality feta, halved 1 garlic bulb, halved
500 g orecchiette
½ bunch of chervil (optional, but excellent) small nasturtium leaves, to garnish (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
Cut some larger grapes in half and keep the rest whole. Toss them allin your largest baking dish with the tarragon stalks, hate the olive oil and a pinch. of salt fakes. Push the grapes to one side and add the leta and garlic, then drizzle the rest of the olive oil over. Roast tor 30-40 minutes, until the feta is golden brown, and the grapes have wrinkled and started yielding their juices into the pan.
Bring a large saucepan of well-salted water to the boil. About 10 minutes before the feta has finished baking, cook the orecchiette for 1 minute less than recommended by the packet instructions. Drain, reserving a mugful of the pasta water, and toss a glug of olive oil through the pasta to stop it sticking.
When the grapes and feta are ready, pull out the tarragon stalks and garlic.
Pour the pasta into the dish, squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skin and gently stir to combine, splashing in the reserved pasta water to loosen if needed. Season to taste, drizzle with more olive oil, and finish with snipped tarragon and chervil, and some small nasturtium leaves, if you have them.
This can be served hot like a pasta, or warm like a pasta salad.
