Thursday, June 21, 2012

Farro Pasta with Olives, Feta and Arugula

Nothing like a 99 degree day to force you to get creative in the kitchen.


I spent the day in a classroom with a broken air conditioner, knowing full well that I'd be walking into an apartment with little ventilation and no air conditioning when I got home that night.

There was NO way I was turning on my oven. I debated take out or calling friends to go out to dinner. Having already had two nights out to dinner, I talked myself into cooking.

Minimal cooking.


Boiling pasta and chopping olives cooking.

I've been craving farro pasta for weeks, but it's a definite splurge. I decided on a 99 degree day, I deserved something special. 

With the peppery notes that shine through the wilted arugula and the salt from the olives and feta, this pasta barely requires any additional seasoning. The farro pasta contributes a nice nutty taste that's a lot more complex than a traditional wheat pasta.



And best of all, the dish came together within fifteen minutes of walking in the door from work. This will be a go-to dinner dish from now on.




Farro Pasta with Olives, Feta and Arugula

Ingredients
1 package farro pasta (about 10 ounces)
1/2 cup chopped olives
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
5 ounces arugula, washed
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water, and add your farro pasta. Cook according to package directions (mine cooked for 7 minutes).

While the pasta is cooking, heat three tablespoons olive oil and chopped olives in a sautee pan.

Drain pasta, and add to the olive oil/olive mixture. Continue cooking for one minute, then remove the mixture from the stove.

Transfer the pasta mixture to a large bowl. Immediately add the feta cheese and arugula. Stir for a few minutes, allowing the arugula to wilt.

Serve warm, with salt and pepper to taste.

4 comments:

  1. Farro pasta is new to me. There's a box sitting in the pantry I bought on a whim a couple of weeks ago. This sounds like a wonderful way to try it - especially on these extremely warm days. It will be a nice break from cold sandwiches.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What a nice purchase! I couldn't be more delighted with my farro pasta, and it's so much healthier than the white flour alternative.

      Delete
  2. It really is SO much harder to want to cook when it's hot out. I'm definitely feeling it. I really want to try farro pasta! Sounds like you flavored it perfectly!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! I was really happy with the flavor combination, though I'm looking forward to doing some experimenting with this over the next few months!

      Delete