Pasta with red sauce gets boring pretty fast, and I’ve never been much of a fan of red sauce anyway, even as a kid. However, the white sauce “alternative” isn’t necessarily a better option, at least healthwise! So I’m always looking for different types of sauces to put on pasta, and I absolutely love this Mediterranean‐influenced sauce.
I prefer to use quinoa pasta since it’s wheat‐free and has a lot more protein and less carbs than traditional pasta. I’ve seen it at Akins and Sprouts – and they even carry it at the little Walmart grocery right by my house in the gluten‐free section. My husband (and me, for that matter) can’t tell the difference between it and the real deal. It has a good texture and taste.
About dry sautéing: After years of dealing with mushrooms immediately soaking up all the cooking oil, I realized you could cook the mushrooms in a pan with nothing in it. So don’t be tempted to Misto that pan, I promise dry sautéing mushrooms is the way to go.
One more note: Don’t salt this dish until you’ve tasted it, especially if you use the optional feta cheese on top. The olives, brine, parmesan, and feta are all pretty salty, so you may not need to add any additional salt.*
Servings: 4
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 pound pasta
1 pound mushrooms, sliced (white button or brown crimini both work well)
1 can/jar black olives, chopped (I use Lindsay Naturals)
1 can/jar green olives, chopped (ditto on Lindsay Naturals)
Brine from one of the cans of olives (you pick ‐‐ black or green)
1 small jar of artichoke hearts, chopped (preferably in water, not oil)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bulb garlic (yes 1 bulb!), peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon fresh or dried rosemary, chopped
Sea salt* & black pepper, to taste
¼ cup grated Parmesan
¼ cup fresh flat‐leaf Italian parsley, chopped
Crumbled feta cheese, if you so desire
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package
directions. You should be able to make the sauce while the water boils/pasta cooks.
2. Meanwhile, dry sauté the mushrooms in a large skillet until cooked and the water releases.
3. Add both types of chopped olives and the brine from 1 can/jar.
4. Add the drained artichokes. Mix. Turn the heat to very low/warm.
5. In a small sauté pan on low heat, sauté the garlic and rosemary. Once the garlic is tender, but
not brown or crispy, mix into the olive/mushroom/artichoke mixture.
6. Toss the cooked pasta with a dash of olive oil, salt & pepper, and the Parmesan cheese. Then
mix in the olives/mushrooms/artichokes.
7. Garnish with feta and parsley.
