Time for a Taste of Something New - Penzeys Spices

Andrea Love and her two children enjoy
shopping at local farmer’s markets to look for
fresh produce.
Andrea Love Pasta with a Mediterranean Twist
This makes a great side dish, especially when served with Andrea’s Company Chicken (page 27).
Being in the kitchen with my dad
when I was a kid is the reason for my
passion for food today,” says Andrea
Love of Phoenix, Arizona.
“On Saturday mornings we would
come into the kitchen and there
would be bread baking, canning
going on or fresh pasta hanging over
the chairs. You never knew what you
were going to get, but it always
turned out great.
“My father learned to cook and
bake from his mother and I learned
from him. I have a hard time figuring
out some of his recipes since they
were not always written down. Every
now and then my mother will find
one on a scrap of paper that she’ll
give to me. I can never make it taste
the way he did, he had a true gift.
“Some of my favorite memories are
of eating huge family meals at my
grandparents’ house in New Jersey.
The second you walked into the
house you were hit by the most
intensely delicious smells coming
from a roast, noodles or numerous
vegetables. My grandmother made
everything from scratch.
“Growing up, we had fruit and
vegetable gardens. Everything my
father made was fresh and healthy.
Now, I take my kids to the local
farmer’s market. Arizona is a great
place for farmer’s markets because
the weather is perfect for year-round
farming. The kids love to pick out
varieties of leafy green vegetables
and I go out of my way to try a new
melon, squash or heirloom tomato.
“Ian, age 4, and Isabel, age 6, love
to toss ingredients in the pot and
mix them all up. And I love the idea
that you can travel around the world
at your own kitchen table. We like all
kinds of foods, from German to
10 oz. dry penne or bow-tie pasta
4 TB. olive oil, divided
1 TB. fresh garlic, chopped (1 tsp. MINCED
GARLIC rehydrated in 1 TB. water)
1 ⁄4 tsp. CRUSHED RED PEPPER
8 oz. frozen spinach, thawed (or 16 oz.
fresh spinach)
1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans, rinsed
and drained
1 ⁄4 Cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 ⁄4 Cup olives, pitted and halved (Andrea
uses kalamata)
1 TB. GREEK SEASONING
1 1 ⁄2 tsp. CALIFORNIA BASIL
1 ⁄4 Cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 ⁄2 Cup Romano cheese, freshly grated
1 ⁄4- 1 ⁄2 tsp. SALT, to taste (Andrea uses PACIFIC
SEA SALT)
1 ⁄4- 1 ⁄2 tsp. PEPPER, to taste (Andrea uses
EUROPEAN PEPPERCORNS, freshly
ground)
Mexican to Mediterranean.
“I created the Mediterranean
pasta because the kids love olives,
sun-dried tomatoes and green
vegetables. This is a great dish for
kids to help with, though they may
want to help just so they can steal a
few olives when I’m not looking!”
Boil the pasta according to package directions.
In a large skillet, heat 1 TB. of the oil over
medium heat. Add the garlic and CALIFORNIA
CRUSHED RED PEPPER; heat until the garlic is
fragrant. Add the spinach, only if using frozen.
Cook until heated through. Add the garbanzo
beans, tomatoes and olives. Cook for 1 minute.
Add the GREEK SEASONING and BASIL. If using
fresh spinach, add it and let it start to wilt. Add
the cooked pasta and remaining olive oil to the
mixture in the skillet. Blend in the feta and half
of the Romano cheese and season with SALT and
PEPPER to taste. Place on a serving platter and
top with the remaining Romano cheese.
Prep. time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 6
Nutritional Information: Servings 6; Serving Size 1 cup (199g);
Calories 420; Calories from fat 170; Total fat 19g; Cholesterol
10mg; Sodium 1040mg; Carbohydrate 51g; Dietary Fiber 6g.