My Aunt Mary’s Pasta

  

On Monday, to celebrate the harvest festival of Lammas my family and I shared a simple, yet hearty vegetarian meal. At the heart of it was a quick-to-prepare pasta dish my Aunt Mary often made, which is known in our house simply as Aunt Mary’s Pasta. Yeah, it’s a pretty nondescript name, but don’t let that fool you — this dish is full of flavor! Alongside it, I served a large salad with lots of fresh veggies from the farmer’s market and a big, crusty loaf of Italian semolina bread. How did you and your family celebrate Lammas?

Ingredients:

·      10 - 12 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

·      ½ medium red onion, diced

·      1 cup basil, chopped

·      1 large clove of garlic, minced

·      4 -5 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

·      2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

·      2 Tbsp. kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

·      12 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

·      salt and pepper to taste

·      1 lb. pasta (campanelle and cellentani work well)

Preparation:

Simply combine the first eight ingredients in a large bowl and season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. 

Then, cook the pasta al dente according to the package directions and drain it well. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl, add the tomato mixture and gently fold it in until it’s thoroughly combined.