Pasta, Mozzarella, Tomatoes, Black Olives & Spinach

Preperation time
20 m
Skills level

Serving size
4-6
Country of origin

Preparation time: 20 m
Cooking time: 15 m
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

  • 2 cups baby spinach, chopped
  • 1 small container tomatoes, cut into halves or quarters
  • 1 (8 ounce) container of fresh mozzarella balls in water, drained and cut into halves
  • 1 can black olives, drained and sliced
  • 1 lb box of penne pasta (salt water)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 small onion
  • ¼ cup of a good quality chicken stock
  • a good extra virgin olive oil
  • ground sea salt to taste
  • Optional: add roasted chicken or sauteed shrimp
Recipe Type:
Course:

I work as a volunteer chef at a homeless shelter teaching residents and those transitioning back from homelessness how to cook. The teaching kitchen is a wonderful place for them to gather, and everyone helps to prepare the meal. This particular meal was a great success. You can add shrimp or leftover roasted chicken to it as well.

If you are adding shrimp take off the shell completely, saute them in a little butter with some diced shallots, ground sea salt and fresh garlic, and season with black pepper, and dried parsley (this is my favorite way to prepare shrimp!)

Start by sautéing the diced onions in a few drizzles of extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan on low heat. Once they are translucent, add ¼ cup of chicken stock. In the meantime, make the pasta according to directions on box, be sure to salt the water generously to impart flavor into the pasta.

Once the pasta is done, use a slotted spoon to scoop up the pasta and toss into the pan.  Reserve some of the pasta water. Add a few tablespoons of pasta water to the pasta  – it will thicken the sauce. Mix well then add in the cut tomatoes, sliced olives, and last add the chopped spinach and dried herbs, along with a few drizzles of a *good quality extra virgin olive oil and some ground sea salt.  The heat should be on low. Now you can taste it to be sure it doesn’t need anymore seasonings.

All the flavors should have melded together after 3-4 minutes, take it off the heat, just long enough to warm the tomatoes and wilt the spinach. Pour into a big bowl and add in the mozzarella balls. You don’t want to add them to the pan when it’s hot, because fresh mozzarella will get rubbery.  If you are adding in a protein, like roasted chicken or shrimp, be sure it’s warm, and toss everything together. Mix well.

You may add some freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese – one of my favorites for it’s salty taste. Did you know that it is also one of the world’s oldest cheeses, and was developed during the Roman empire. It’s made from pure sheep’s milk unlike Parmesan which is made from cow’s milk.

Enjoy!

 

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