Another Quick Dish--this one can be Vegetarian!
Quick & Easy, angel hair pasta, easy, entree, Entree, healthy, Healthy, healthy diet, healthy eating, kalamata olives, Lassens natural foods market, olive oil, olives, Pasta, tomatoes, Vegetarian, vegetarian

Kalamata Olive Pasta...Otherwise Known as Pasta Puttanesca
I always have the ingredients for this easy Italian Pasta dish on hand for those busy days when I just don't want to cook, but I want to eat! This dinner takes only about 30 minutes, including the salad shown!

Ingredients

Kalamata Olive Pasta (serves 6):
1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
5 cloves organic garlic, minced or forced through a garlic press
1 TBSP Wild Caught Anchovy Paste
1/2 tsp hot red-pepper flakes, or to taste
1/3 cup organic extra-virgin olive oil
1 28-oz can of organic diced tomatoes
1/2 cup drained pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
2 TBSP drained organic capers
Salt/pepper to taste
3/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh organic basil

Easy Caprese Salad:
Mozzarella Fresca (fresh mozzarella), drained
Organic cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
Organic basil, coarsely chopped
Organic balsamic vinegar
Organic extra-virgin olive oil
Fresh-ground salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
Puree the tomatoes in a blender. Mince the garlic. Coarsely chop the olives.
When the water boils, add the pasta and cook until al dente.
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, anchovy paste, and red pepper flakes, and stir occasionally until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add the tomato puree. Stir and then add the Kalamata olives and capers, then bring to a gentle simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, chop the basil and check the pasta. When al dente, drain. You can toss the pasta into the sauce or serve separately.
Stir the basil into the pasta sauce, and pass shredded parmesan cheese if you'd like.

Caprese Salad: Just toss everything together! I do about half the amount of Mozzarella Fresca to the amount of tomatoes (2 cups tomatoes, 1 cup mozzarella), then add basil, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper to taste.

What sounds good ?