MEDITERRANEAN PASTA

You guys are in for a treat today!

This Mediterranean Pasta is a favorite of mine and perfect for a big crowd or your family on those busy nights.

You know my love for all things Mediterranean food- like this Mediterranean Salmon, Mediterranean Hummus Toast or this Hummus Platter.

The more of those delicious Mediterranean ingredients the better. 

I especially love the saltiness of the artichokes, capers and kalamata olives mixed with the sweet, earthy sauce that is created by the Carbonell Manzanilla Extra Virgin Olive Oil and fresh lemon juice.

It reminds me of this Greek Orzo Pasta Salad but using a different pasta and creating a warm meal instead of a salad. 

Make sure you have some crusty bread on hand to soak up all of that delicious sauce.

If you have been hanging around my blog for a while now, you know my love for olive oil an how much I try to incorporate it to some of the dishes that I make as much as possible.

I use olive oil on a daily basis for everything from sautéing and frying to dressing and finishing dishes.

It is a staple in my kitchen and is the start of today’s Mediterranean Pasta.

I used Carbonell Manzanilla Extra Virgin Olive Oil to finish off this pasta. This olive oil has a fruity and peppery taste to it, perfect for this pasta dish.

Find the new Carbonell Portfolio at a Fresh Thyme store near you by clicking here.

Visit www.CARBONELLUSA.com for more information on the terroir portfolio.

Carbonell Manzanilla Extra Virgin Olive Oil now has four varieties of olive oil for you to choose from depending on the type of dish you are making:

Morisca is mellow and fruity, Arbosana is sweet and nutty, Cordobesa is bold and fruity, and Manzanilla—which I used in today’s recipe—is fruity and peppery. 

When I opened the bottle of Carbonell Manzanilla Extra Virgin Olive Oil and took a quick taste of it, I knew it was a high quality olive oil that would flavor my pasta nicely.

 

WHY I LIKE CARBONELL OLIVE OIL

• When I opened the bottle of Carbonell Manzanilla Extra Virgin Olive Oil and took a quick taste of it, I knew it was a high quality olive oil that would flavor my pasta nicely. Manzanilla and Morisca cultivars are both specific from Extremadura, region in the south of Spain that respects tradition, embraces nature, and imprints it into its olive oils, which are very complex but well balanced, offering EVOO with strong, fresh, and fruity tasting notes.
• Carbonell Manzanilla Extra Virgin Olive Oil is made from sustainable farming practices that protect the land that gives it its unique flavor characteristics.
• I spent a couple of months in Spain during college and fell in love with it. The culture is vibrant, the people are full of life, and the food is some of the best you will ever eat. Olive oil plays a big role in their food. Carbonell Manzanilla Extra Virgin Olive Oil is produced in southern Spain. Did you know that Spain is the #1 olive oil producing region in the world? Carbonell is Spain’s #1 selling olive oil—and for good reason!
• Their bottles have a convenient pop-up pour spot that makes drizzling extra easy. That spout ensures that you’ll not be wasting any of that delicious olive oil when you are preparing your meals. 

WHAT OTHER INGREDIENTS CAN I ADD TO MY MEDITERRANEAN PASTA RECIPES?

• PASTA: To make this a healthier dish try using whole wheat pasta or even vegetable noodles like zucchini noodles for a low carb pasta dish. I love making veggie noodles like in these Sesame Noodles, Thai Coconut Noodle Soup or this Asian Cucumber Noodle Salad.
• BEANS: When I make this dish, I will sometimes add beans. Try chickpeas or white beans for extra protein.
• MEAT: Pasta dishes are a nice base for many types of meats. You can easily top this pasta with grilled chicken or steak, shrimp, salmon, or white fish.
• VEGETABLES: When you make this dish, feel free to use whatever vegetables you have on hand. I really like roasted red peppers, bell peppers, zucchini, onion, cauliflower, green beans, or broccoli. 
• CHEESE: I added feta cheese but you can do Parmesan cheese, blue cheese or goat cheese in its place. 
• GREENS: I used spinach in this recipe but I think most greens work great. I especially like arugula, swiss chard or mixed greens. 
• NUTS: I love finishing off pasta dishes with nuts or seeds. Pine nuts are added to this dish but I think walnuts, almonds or sunflower seeds would also work nicely. 

WHY I LOVE THIS EASY MEDITERRANEAN PASTA?

There are a few reasons that I come back to this pasta time and time again. 

First of all, this pasta is so easy to make especially if you don’t have much time to prepare but still want to serve a mouthwatering dish.

I can get this on the table in under 20 minutes and it is easy if you prep your ingredients the day before. 

Second, this recipe feeds a crowd.

If you are having a get together or a dinner party, this pasta dish would be perfect. I like to serve it alongside a big kale or fattoush salad and some simple garlic Parmesan green beans.

Oh, and don’t forget the crusty bread that compliments this pasta recipe very well!

Lastly, this pasta dish is filled with the classic mediterranean ingredients.

The salty yet sweet flavors from the capers, artichokes and olives with the light, lemony sauce is just perfect. 

Find the new Carbonell Portfolio at a Fresh Thyme store near you by clicking here. Visit www.CARBONELLUSA.com for more information on the terroir portfolio.