Mediterranean Pasta Recipe
Experience the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean with this easy pasta recipe. It takes just 40 minutes to make and uses 8 common Mediterranean ingredients. It's perfect for an easy family dinner, as a side dish, for a potluck and for those following the Mediterranean diet.
Servings: 4
Calories: 564kcal
Ingredients
- 14 oz penne
- 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic peeled
- 1.4 oz anchovy fillets in oil finely chopped
- 3.5 oz tomato passata
- 3.5 oz pitted black and green taggiasca olives you can use other types of olives too
- 0.7 oz salted capers rinsed from salt
- 1 handful fresh parsley chopped
- salt
- black pepper
- 1 teaspoon peperoncino flakes optional
- parmigiano reggiano grated (optional)
Instructions
- Heat 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a deep sauté pan. Add the peeled garlic clove and sauté until it starts to brown slightly.
- Stir in the chopped anchovies to the pan. They will gradually melt into the olive oil.
- Note: If you're using peperoncino flakes, add them now and cook them for only a few seconds, being careful not to let them burn.
- Stir in the tomato passata and the prepared black and green olives. Season the sauce with salt to taste and a pinch of pepper, then let it simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt once it starts to boil, then bring it back to the boil before adding your pasta. Cook the pasta for slightly less time than the instructions on the packet recommend until it's almost al dente as we will continue to cook the pasta in the Mediterranean sauce later in the recipe.
- Near the end of the sauce's cooking time, stir in the rinsed capers and chopped parsley.
- Once the pasta is cooked, reserve one cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and add it directly to the sauce.
- Cook the pasta for an additional 1-2 minutes in the sauce, adding pasta water if needed to thin out the sauce. Once the pasta is al dente and the sauce is at your desired consistency, turn off the heat.
- Portion the pasta into bowls and serve.
Notes
- I used penne for this recipe, but you could also use other short pasta like fusilli. A long thin ribbon pasta like tagliolini would also work well.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- This pasta dish makes a great side dish for cookouts and grills. It's delicious eaten hot or room temperature.
Nutrition
Calories: 564kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 909mg | Potassium: 408mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 321IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 3mg