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Mediterranean Pasta

17/11/2023

Here’s an Italian variant of a pasta dish that draws inspiration from the flavors of the Mediterranean. Mediterranean Pasta is a fresh and tasty dish, perfect for summer.

Ingredients

  • 350 g of short pasta (such as penne or fusilli)
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 200 g of cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
  • 150 g of pitted black olives
  • 100 g of salted capers (rinsed and desalted)
  • 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
  • Chili powder (to taste)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • A handful of chopped fresh parsley
  • 100 g of feta cheese (optional for a Greek touch)
  • A few leaves of fresh basil (for garnish)

Preparation

  1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil to cook the pasta.
  2. Meanwhile, cut the cherry tomatoes in half or quarters, according to your preference.
  3. In a large pan, heat the extra-virgin olive oil and add the peeled and slightly crushed garlic cloves (to remove them easily later). If you like, you can also finely chop the garlic.
  4. Add the cherry tomatoes and let them cook for 5-7 minutes until they start breaking down and releasing their juice.
  5. Add black olives and capers, and sauté for a couple of minutes. If you wish, you can add a pinch of chili pepper for a spicy touch.
  6. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, to keep it al dente.
  7. Drain the pasta and transfer it to the pan with the sauce, removing the garlic if you left it whole.
  8. Mix the pasta well with the sauce over low heat, to allow it to absorb all the flavors.
  9. Off the heat, add the chopped parsley, (crumbled feta if you’ve chosen to use it) and mix gently.
  10. Serve the pasta garnished with fresh basil leaves, a drizzle of raw olive oil and, if you like, a sprinkle of fresh pepper.

Curious Facts

Mediterranean Pasta is an example of how simple and fresh ingredients can be combined to obtain a complete and appetizing dish. The presence of olives, capers, and cherry tomatoes evokes the intense flavors typical of regions in the Mediterranean area, and the addition of feta can recall the Greek variations, where this type of cheese is very prevalent in their cuisine.

Mediterranean Pasta