Pasta: Mostaccioli In The Greek Style from Kitchen Garden Mag.

[Guest guest]

I posted this last year to MC-Recipe, but thought there might be folks here

who would like to have it. (I love these Taunton Press magazines.)

 

Brenda Adams

 

 

* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Mostaccioli In The Greek Style

 

Recipe By : Kitchen Garden Magazine

Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Pasta Greek

Magazine Vegetarian

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

1 1/2 cups kalamata olives -- (8.75 oz.)

1/4 cup fresh rosemary -- snipped

5 quarts cold water

2 tablespoons salt

1 1/4 pounds zucchini -- medium-size

2 pounds plum tomatoes -- firm-ripe

1 pound mostaccioli -- or penne

3 cloves garlic -- minced

1/2 cup pine nuts

2 tablespoons olive oil -- fruity kind

1 large orange -- zest of

freshly ground black pepper

6 ounces feta cheese

more fruity olive oil

coarse sea salt

 

If the olives are canned, drain them, saving the brine. Lay the olives on

your board and gently press down on each with the flat side of a large

heavy knife, lightly crushing the olive. Pull open the olive, and the pit

will pop out. If not using them that day, put the olives in a jar with

brine, cover, and refrigerate.

 

About an hour before serving, start the preparation, placing each

ingredient in a dish. Drain the olives. Strip leaves from 2 to 3 rosemary

branches into a small deep bowl. Snip the leaves with scissors into 1/8- to

1/4-in. pieces, and measure 1/4 cup.

 

Combine the water and salt in a large pot, stirring until the salt is

dissolved. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.

 

Rinse and trim the zucchini, then cut each squash in half crosswise. Using

a mandoline, vegetable julienne mill, or a sharp heavy knife, cut each

piece lengthwise into 1/4-in.-square strips.

 

Wash the tomatoes and trim out stem scars. Cut lengthwise in quarters, then

crosswise in half. Working in 3 or 4 batches, pulse each batch of tomatoes

in a food processor or chop by hand until pieces are roughly 1/2 in.

 

When the water comes to a boil, uncover and add the zucchini. Stir and

return the water to a boil, uncovered. When the water boils, immediately

scoop out the zucchini pieces with a strainer, turning them into your

serving bowl. Add the pasta to the pot, stir well, and cover. Meanwhile,

smash, peel, and mince the garlic cloves.

 

Heat a large heavy (preferably non-stick) dry skillet. Add the pine nuts

and shake over high heat until lightly toasted, about 2 min. Turn into a

bowl and reserve. Add the olive oil to the skillet and heat, then add the

tomatoes, olives, rosemary, and garlic and stir until well blended.

Continue cooking these vegetables, uncovered, over moderately high heat,

stirring frequently, until the pasta is ready.

 

When the pasta water returns to a boil, remove the lid, stir the pasta

vigorously, and set the timer for 10 min. Continue stirring both pots.

Remove the zest from the orange in long shreds, preferably with a zester.

When the timer rings, test the pasta. It should be al dente, or close to

it. Add the zucchini to the tomatoes, raise the heat to high, and stir well.

 

When the pasta is done, drain it, letting the water fall into the serving

bowl, to heat it. Dump out the water, then add the mostaccioli. Add the

vegetables and pine nuts, grind pepper over all, crumble the feta on, and

sprinkle with orange zest. Take your time and toss the mixture carefully

and thoroughly. Serve, passing the olive oil for adding highlights to each

portion, if desired. Some may wish a pinch of salt for seasoning.

 

Serve this pasta in large hot soup plates and eat with big spoons while

sipping a robust red wine. A tossed salad of bitter greens like chicory or

escarole might follow, then lemon ice and crisp cookies for dessert.

 

-- Sylvia Thompson is a contributing editor to Kitchen Garden. From Kitchen

Garden v.11, pp. 40-41. Kitchen Garden is published by Taunton Press...they

own Fine Cooking too. Website: < http://www.taunton.com/kg/index.htm>

 

Busted by Brenda Adams <adamsfmle. Posted MC 2/2/98 &

Karen's Veg-Rec 5/99.

 

 

 

 

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