Greek Style Pasta
6 servings
prep time: 1 minute (to open two cans!)
cook time: 20 minutes
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 4 tsp. minced garlic (or 4 cloves, chopped finely)
- 1 can (~28 oz.) diced tomatoes “Italian style” with garlic, basil, oregano
- 1 can (~15-19 oz.) cannellini or other white beans, drained & rinsed
- 10 oz. coarsely chopped fresh baby spinach
- 16 oz. penne pasta
- 1⁄2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- Fill a large saucepan 3⁄4 full with water. Bring to a boil, add pasta, then bring to a boil again. Turn down to just bubbling and cook pasta for 8-10 minutes (according to package direc-tions). When it’s done, drain the pasta.
- While the pasta’s cooking, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and cook garlic for about a minute. Add tomatoes (with liquid) and drained beans.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to bubbling; cook 10 minutes.
- Add spinach and cook just until spinach wilts.
- Combine pasta and sauce in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Top with feta cheese.
Variation:
Substitute frozen spinach. Thaw first then squish with a spoon in a strainer, to remove excess water.
If you use regular fresh spinach instead of baby spinach, take a minute to remove the tough stems.
Any pasta will do. Whole wheat is healthier, and tastes "normal"; when it's covered with a great sauce.
Don't worry if your tomatoes and beans come in different size cans. Exact proportions aren't essential in most recipes.