Cantaloupe, feta, basil and pumpkin seed salad

Melons signify the arrival of summer, and the need for cooling foods becomes important. Melons are perfect: they are juicy, sweet, and refreshing. You can use any yellow-fleshed melon for this salad, so feel free to experiment with the various flavors of the melons. Aleppo pepper and pul biber are the same, the former grown in Syria, the latter in Turkey.

This is a wonderful light salad for hot summer afternoons. The sweet melon is complimented by the salty feta, the hint of chili from the Aleppo peppers, and the herb from the basil. The salad is essentially an assembly job, super easy, and so good.

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Ingredients:

1 large cantaloupe. skin removed and cut into wedges or pieces

1 cup feta cheese, crumbled or cubed

Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or pul biber

1 cup roasted pumpkin seeds

A handful of basil leaves

Salt, to taste

Arrange the melon slices on a large platter. Crumble the feta cheese or place the cubes over the melon. Sprinkle the Aleppo pepper/pul biber and pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle the whole basil leaves.

Serve chilled.