Family’s Favorite (Mediterranean) Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound Angel Hair fettuccine, or linguine pasta (double recipe of homemade pasta on left or one 16-oz. package store-bought pasta)
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and slightly crushed, but kept intact
- 2 large basil leaves snipped
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata olives
- 1/2 cup drained chopped sundried tomatoes
- 1/2 cup diced fresh tomatoes I like to use chopped cherry tomatoes
- 1/3 cup pine nuts lightly toasted
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan
- 1/3 cup finely sliced fresh basil
- Optional: fresh arugula and/or artichoke hearts chopped
Instructions
- Prepare oil at least several hours in advance.
- In a saucepot, heat olive oil over medium-low heat, but do not bring to a boil. When hot, add garlic cloves and herbs (they may sizzle a little bit) and heat for about 10-15 minutes over low heat. Turn heat off, cover pot, and allow flavors to infuse for several hours or overnight. Before serving, discard herbs and garlic cloves.
To Assemble Dish
- Reheat garlic-herb infused olive oil. In a separate pot, cook pasta to al dente, drain and dump pasta back into the cooking pot. Pour warm oil over pasta and stir. Add olives, sundried tomatoes, tomatoes, and feta into pasta and gently toss. Serve on plates and garnish with Parmesan, basil, and pine nuts. Pass extra Parmesan at the table!
- Serve with insalata mista (mixed green salad) and crusty Italian bread.
