This game is usually played only with consonants. If it can't be guessed, people just give up, and the person running that round gives the answer, and gets another turn (if they'd like one).
However, I'll make an exception for once, as that third word can be either pasta or pesto, so:
I googled Nicoise, as I was curious about the word. It turns out it comes from "Nice," which probably means Nice, France, where that type of salad originated. According to the definition, it usually involves tomatoes and olive oil, very Mediterranean.