Black olives are one of my favorite summer seasonings for pasta, and especially for pasta salads. Not by themselves, of course, but they do help define the sauce. To serve 4:
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 14 ounces (320 g) penne or similar short pasta
- 1 pound (450 g) bell peppers of the colors you prefer
- 2 spring onions, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 4 canned anchovy filets, crumbled
- 1 tablespoon salted capers, rinsed
- 1/2 cup pitted baked black olives, chopped
- A small bunch of parsley, minced
- Several basil leaves, shredded
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Roast the bell peppers for 25 minutes in a 400 F (200 C) oven. Transfer them to a bag for 10 minutes, and then peel them, rib and seed them, and slice them. Sauté the slices in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, with the clove of garlic. When the garlic has begun to brown, add the sliced onions and cook, stirring, until they are translucent -- a few minutes. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
While you are preparing the peppers, set pasta water to boil, salt it, and cook the pasta. While it cooks, transfer the pepper mixture to a large bowl, and mix in the capers, anchovy filets, chopped olives, parsley, and basil.
Drain the pasta when it reaches the al dente stage, run it under cold water to cool it, and stir it into the pepper mixture. Mix, adding a drizzle of olive oil, and serve.
The wine? A white, and I might go with a Castel Del Monte Bianco from Puglia.
Yield: 4 servings Chilled Pasta Salad with Black Olives.
While you are preparing the peppers, set pasta water to boil, salt it, and cook the pasta. While it cooks, transfer the pepper mixture to a large bowl, and mix in the capers, anchovy filets, chopped olives, parsley, and basil.
Drain the pasta when it reaches the al dente stage, run it under cold water to cool it, and stir it into the pepper mixture. Mix, adding a drizzle of olive oil, and serve.
The wine? A white, and I might go with a Castel Del Monte Bianco from Puglia.
Yield: 4 servings Chilled Pasta Salad with Black Olives.
