Inspired by the OTHER country that I love

A delicious, healthy and easy recipe – and the best part, you only use one pot! The green asparagus, red tomatoes and white feta make me think of the colors on the Italian Flag.  I think there are other “Italian Flag” recipes out there but this one is mine.  I made this earlier this week and we gobbled it up.  It’s one of my favorite recipes!

Ginger's "Italian Flag" Pasta

Ingredients

1 bunch of asparagus (the thinner the better, in my opinion)

4 vine-ripened tomatoes or any other variety (since there isn’t any sauce in this recipe, it’s important for the tomatoes to be big, ripe and juicy) – or – a 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes

4 oz. container of crumbled feta cheese (I like Atheno’s Garlic and Spice)

1 lb. of bowtie pasta

1/3 c. of Olive Oil

handful of pinenuts

2 cloves of minced garlic

a few dashes of salt, pepper and red pepper flakes (to taste)

* A side note on the asparagus:  when you purchase the asparagus at the store, bring it home and cut off the stems immediately and place the bunch in a container of about 1-inch of water (I use an old salsa jar).  It helps keep them fresh and moist.  I accidentally let my last batch of asparagus soak for almost a week and, by the time I cooked them, they were practically falling apart they were so moist – and delicious enough to eat raw! 

1. Boil the water for the pasta and cook the pasta according to the directions.  While waiting on the pasta, cut the asparagus and tomatoes into 1-inch pieces. 

2. While the pasta is straining, rinse the pot and use to sauté the asparagus and tomatoes.  Add the olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes, asparagus and tomatoes and sauté for about 5-10 minutes until the asparagus is tender. 

3. Add the pasta and feta cheese to the pot, and stir to combine.  At this point, eyeball it to see if you might need to add another drizzle of olive oil.  (Just depends on how much the pasta “drinks” up the oil)

4. Serve, top with a sprinkling of pinenuts and serve with a glass of Pinot Grigio wine (not necessary but recommended).

Buon Appetito!