Italian Pasta Salad with Roasted Vegetables and Balsamic Dressing

Heat the oven to 200 C (Gas Mark 6 / 400 F).

Halve the tomato and cut each half into several thin wedges. Core, remove seeds, then chop the red pepper into chunks. Spread the tomatoes and peppers into a baking dish and drizzle with the sunflower oil and 1 teaspoon of dried thyme. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Once cooked, drain the pasta and rinse it in cold water to cool it down. Then put it back into the pot.

Spread out the spinach on a microwave-safe plate and microwave it on full power for 1 minute to wilt it. Add this to the cooked pasta, along with the halved black olives, diced mozzarella and sweet corn kernels.

Remove the tomato and pepper from the oven, and set aside to cool slightly.

To make the dressing, simply combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, remaining dried thyme and a little salt. Adjust the proportions depending on your taste.

Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta and drizzle the dressing over the top. Mix to combine, then plate it!