Mediterranean Summer Pasta

Mediterranean flavors taste like home to me. My father is Greek, and his parents owned a Greek restaurant when he was growing up. As a result, most of the dinners we shared when I was growing up involved one or more of a combination of kalamata olives, feta cheese, dill, eggplant, potatoes, and/or tomatoes. This Mediterranean Summer Pasta dish is a nod to those wonderful flavors—I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

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Mediterranean Summer Pasta Recipe

Mediterranean Summer Pasta

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Yield: 4

Author: Malina Malkani

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min

Mediterranean flavors taste like home to me. My father is Greek and his parents owned a Greek restaurant when he was growing up. As a result, most of the dinners we shared when I was growing up involved one or more of a combination of kalamata olives, feta cheese, dill, eggplant, potatoes, and/or tomatoes. This Mediterranean Summer Pasta dish is a nod to those wonderful flavors - I hope you enjoy them as much as we do! This recipe contains affiliate links, meaning that if you choose to purchase a product through a link, I will receive a small commission - but this in no way impacts the amount you pay. Affiliate links are marked with an asterisk (*).

Ingredients

• 1 lb zucchini
• 1 lb summer squash
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh)
• 1 lb chick pea pasta (rotini, fusilli)*
• 10 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 1 cup kalamata olives (pitted and quartered)
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 3 ounces pine nuts
• 1 medium red onion (minced)
• ½ cup parmesan cheese (grated)
• 3 tablespoons capers
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• ¼ cup parsley (chopped, optional to garnish)

Instructions

1. Slice squashes in half length-wise, then cut into ½-inch thick pieces. Pat dry and season with salt and pepper.
2. Bring water and salt for pasta to a boil in a large pot and cook pasta according to instructions, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water.
3. In a large, non-stick skillet*, brown pine nuts over medium heat until fragrant and lightly browned (about 3 minutes). Set aside.
4. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and heat over high heat. Add the zucchini and stir occasionally until browned on both sides (about 6-7 minutes). Transfer to a plate.
5. Add another tablespoon of oil, repeat with summer squash and set aside with zucchini.
6. Add another tablespoon of oil, heat and add onion, stirring for another 6-7 minutes or until translucent and lightly caramelized. Add garlic and lemon zest, stirring for under a minute, then add all squash and stir for about a minute or until hot and turn off heat.
7. When pasta is cooked, drain and add back into large pot along with ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water.
8. Add squash mixture, tomatoes, capers, pine nuts, olives, vinegar, lemon juice, parmesan cheese and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and toss.
9. Garnish with parsley.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

934

Fat

52

Sat. Fat

8

Carbs

84

Fiber

18

Net carbs

67

Sugar

22

Protein

37

Sodium

989

Cholesterol

9

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