Mediterranean Pasta (with Feta, Tomatoes, and Parsley)

We often make this incredibly quick and easy Mediterranean Pasta recipe for dinner at the end of a busy day.  Delicious, nutritious, and easy, it is a perfect meal when you want something scrumptious and homemade in a hurry.  All you need is some really good feta cheese, Roma tomatoes, fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, garlic, olive oil, and your favorite pasta.  I used spaghetti this time, but I've made this dish with every shape and size of pasta imaginable.

First, I bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook my favorite pasta to desired tenderness.  I like it a little past al dente.  In the meantime I ready the toppings.  For 2 servings, I dice 1 ripe Roma tomato, crumble about 4 ounces of feta cheese that I have presoaked, chop up a handful fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, crush a large head of garlic, and measure out about 2 tablespoons of very good extra virgin olive oil.

As soon as the pasta is ready, I heat the olive oil in a small sauté pan, add the crushed garlic, and heat until the garlic is just toasted (about a minute on medium-high heat).

Then I portion out the pasta into serving bowls, drizzle in the olive oil and garlic, and toss.

Next I layer on the toppings, starting with the feta cheese, then the tomatoes, followed by the parsley.

Finally, I top the finished dish with plenty of fresh ground black pepper.  I find it is not necessary to add salt because the feta cheese contains plenty of salt.

Ingredients/Recipe (serves 2)

1 lb. of your favorite pasta (spaghetti, rotini, mostaccioli, etc...)
1 large ripe Roma tomato

4 ounces of feta cheese
1 large handful for Italian flat leaf parsley
1 large clove of garlic

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
A few grinds of freshly ground black pepper

Cook pasta to desired tenderness in plenty of salted boiling water.  In the meantime, soak and then crumble the feta cheese (you can substitute packaged crumbled feta cheese instead), dice the tomato, chop the parsley, and crush the garlic.  As soon as the pasta reaches the desired tenderness, drain and divide into serving bowls.  Next, heat the olive oil in a small saute pan, add the crushed garlic, and saute for just a minute until the garlic is toasted (being careful not to let it burn).  Drizzle the oil and garlic evenly over the pasta and toss lightly.  Then top the pasta with the feta cheese, followed by the tomatoes and the parsley, and finish with a few grinds of fresh ground black pepper.

The warm pasta combined with the cool feta and the fresh tomatoes and herbs is just outstanding!  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!