Spaghetti with Blistered Tomatoes Olives and Feta
This simple, light tomato based pasta with blistered cherry tomatoes, creamy salty feta and kalamata olives is a delicious and easy dinner idea. The blistered tomatoes are roasted till they reach the perfect sweetness and the quinoa rice pasta has a smooth and mild flavour, making the combination mouth-watering!
Everything is made even better using Ceres Organics Quinoa Rice Spaghetti and Tomato Paste. You all know how important it is to me to make sure majority of what we consume is organic so it was an easy decision to partner up with Ceres Organics and showcase their quality and healthy products to you. Their products are 100% organic and the pasta is specifically made in a separate gluten free facility. Every step in the production process is designed to preserve the unique purity of the harvest. What else could you ask for? Remembering that quinoa is a ‘super-grain’, it is also amongst the least allergic foods available with its light, nutty and delicious flavour. You’ll find a box or two in my pantry and a jar of the organic tomato paste in my fridge. Trust me, once you try them, so will you!
And now onto the recipe. Should we start with the blistered tomatoes? What a simple process yet such a gourmet result, right? Simply drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the tomatoes and then season. Bake for 20 minutes and they’re ready. That’s it! You could add these to a grilled vegetable and bean salad, top up a steak or even serve it beside some barbecued prawns. This simple side dish can suit just about any meal and when paired in particular with this spaghetti it makes the plate sing!
Now the pasta and sauce. This tomato based pasta sauce is so simple and yet full of flavour that you can choose to add any protein to it as well. It would be wonderful with some diced chicken or even shredded pork! All you would need to do is add the pre cooked protein of choice at the time you are sautéeing the garlic and olives and toss through the pasta to combine well.
When I was thinking what to create with these ingredients, all I wanted was a meal that would allow each ingredient to sing. I wanted a meal with Mediterranean flavours, full of colour and uncomplicated and you’ll notice there is quite abit of EVOO used. You can’t have a Mediterranean meal without the goodness of extra virgin olive oil so pour it freely, don’t be shy!
Finally, some of you may be tempted to swap the feta for parmesan or bocconcini. Please don’t. The salty and creamy feta is a perfect pairing with the sweet tomatoes. It reminds me of my parents and the way they would add feta, garlic and olive oil to a big bowl of piping hot pasta and we would devour it. The hot pasta would soften the feta making it partially melt and it would be one of the best comfort foods you have ever tasted. Well this goes one above adding the olives and blistered tomatoes. Can you think of anything more scrumptious?
I have partnered with Ceres Organics to bring you this recipe and I sincerely hope you try it. Once again send me a DM through email, facebook or instagram and let me know your thoughts and I would love to see a photo of your recreations! Happy cooking and Enjoy x
Serves 2-3
Spaghetti:
250g packet Ceres Organics Quinoa Rice Spaghetti
1 tbs Ceres Organics Tomato Paste
½ cup reserved cooking water (from pasta)
100g feta, crumbled
15 pitted kalamata olives
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp ground paprika
fresh basil leaves
Blistered Tomatoes:
250g cherry tomatoes
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
sea salt / ground pepper
1. Preheat oven 200C fan forced. Place tomatoes on a tray lined with baking paper and drizzle the EVOO and balsamic vinegar and season with sea salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes. Once blistered remove from oven and set aside.
2. In the meantime cook the pasta al dente according to packet instructions. Once cooked drain, reserving ½ cup of cooking water.
3. In the same pot add the EVOO, garlic and olives and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the pasta and toss to combine the garlic and olives.
4. Add the tomato paste into the ½ cup of reserved cooking water and dissolve and then pour over the pasta. Combine to evenly coat.
5. Season with freshly ground pepper and paprika and sprinkle the crumbled feta. Toss again to combine.
6. Evenly divide between 2-3 plates and garnish with fresh basil leaves and an extra drizzle of EVOO. Add to each plate 4-5 blistered tomatoes and serve. Enjoy!
