Summer fresh grilled veggies with fresh basil and bocconcini is favourite dish around here when it gets to hot to cook. Leftover veggies are an easy addition the next day to any dish, like these Grilled Veggie, Pesto & Bocconcini Pizzas.
Today we jazzed up our grilled veggies with bacon, grilled Italian Sausage and lots of fresh garlic. It was a hot one so making something easy and cool for dinner was right up our alley. If you have a side burner on your grill you could also cook the bacon and pasta right there to avoid your oven all together.
In our family we have some who don’t like peppers, some zucchini and some bocconcini cheese (insert gasp). Since I don’t cater to anyone’s likes or dislikes when I make a meal, I always tell them to pick out what they don’t like and eat what they do.
This would be an easy dish to partially prepare in advance and take camping. Make your dressing and store in a sealed jar. Cook all veggies and store in the fridge in a sealed container. Cook the rest when you are there and assemble.
- ½ green pepper, cut in chunks
- ½ red pepper, cut in chunks
- ½ red onion, cut in chunks
- 1 small zucchini, cut in chunks
- 3 mild Italian sausages, grilled
- ½ pkg bacon, cooked
- 5 cups uncooked Catelli Ancient Grains Fusilli
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cracked pepper
- olive oil
- 3 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 container small bocconcini
- 1 tbsp lemon
- ¼ cup fresh basil, sliced thin
- Add peppers and onion to a bowl. Drizzle in 1 tsp of oil, a pinch of salt and cracked pepper.
- Add vegetables to a grill pan set over medium high heat on the BBQ and grill for about 5 minutes. While they are grilling, toss zucchini into same bowl, drizzle in 1 tsp of oil and a pinch of salt and cracked pepper. Mix and add to grill pan with other veggies. Cook an additional 5 minutes or until tender and lightly charred all over.
- In a pan of salted boiling water add fusilli. Cook according to package instructions. Drain and spread on to a baking pan with edges to cool down.
- Drain and cut each bocconcini into fours. Set aside.
- Sliced sausage into thin slices. Set aside.
- Cut bacon into chunks. Set aside.
- In a cup or small bowl mix minced garlic with olive oil, salt and pepper. Whisk in vinegar.
- In a large pasta bowl add cooled pasta, sausage, cheese, grilled veggies, bacon and dressing. Toss to combine.
- Sprinkle with fresh lemon, salt, pepper and basil. Serve immediately.
