This feta tomato pasta screams springtime, with fresh-tasting tomatoes, protein-rich chickpeas and joyous little bursts of sharp capers. Divine!
It's officially Spring here in the UK, and while the temperature isn't much higher than it was in the winter months, the sun is finally shining down a more golden, positive light, making the grass greener and the world around us a little brighter.
Rather than use chopped tomatoes, I've opted to use a a chunky passata rustica in this recipe, because we want this dish to taste ultra fresh and spring-like, and a good passata tastes great straight from the bottle and since the tomatoes are crushed, takes no time at all to warm through.
As I'm working with Cirio this spring on a series of yummy recipes. In this pasta with chickpeas and capers recipe I used Cirio Passata Rustica, a lovely coarsely crushed passata.
Ingredients
- 500 g (1.1 lb) penne pasta
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil (canola oil)
- 1 red onion chopped
- 1 tsp (1) garlic purée
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 pinch salt and black pepper
- 1 canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans) rinsed and drained
- 700 g (1.54 lb) passata rustica
- 2-3 tbsp (2 tbsp) capers to taste
- 100 g (3.53 oz) Greek feta cheese cubed or crumbled (vegetarian if required)
- 10 g fresh basil
Instructions
Put the pasta on to boil in plenty of boiling, salted water.
Warm 1tbsp of the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, oregano and a good pinch of salt and pepper and fry gently for a couple of minutes.
Once the onions are soft, Add the chickpeas and fry for a further couple of minutes.
When the chickpeas are warmed through, add the passata.
Stir and bring up to a simmer. The passata is fresh tasting and delicious and doesn't need to be 'cooked out' like lots of cheaper tomato products.
When the pasta is firm but cooked, drain well and add to the dish with the capers.
Stir well and finish by drizzling with the remaining oil, then topping the crumbled feta, a good mill of pepper, and a sprig of basil.
Serve hot, or chill and serve cold. Either way, it's delicious!
Are you tempted to try this recipe at home? Let me know if you make it!
Print this feta tomato pasta recipe
Feta Tomato Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g (1.1 lb) penne pasta
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil (canola oil)
- 1 red onion chopped
- 1 tsp (1) garlic purée
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 pinch salt and black pepper
- 1 canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans) rinsed and drained
- 700 g (1.54 lb) passata rustica
- 2-3 tbsp (2 tbsp) capers to taste
- 100 g (3.53 oz) Greek feta cheese cubed or crumbled (vegetarian if required)
- 10 g fresh basil
Instructions
- Put the pasta on to boil in plenty of boiling, salted water.
- Warm 1tbsp of the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, oregano and a good pinch of salt and pepper and fry gently for a couple of minutes.
- Once the onions are soft, Add the chickpeas and fry for a further couple of minutes.
- When the chickpeas are warmed through, add the passata.
- Stir and bring up to a simmer. The passata is fresh tasting and delicious and doesn't need to be 'cooked out' like lots of cheaper tomato products.
- When the pasta is firm but cooked, drain well and add to the dish with the capers.
- Stir well and finish by drizzling with the remaining oil, then topping the crumbled feta, a good mill of pepper, and a sprig of basil.
- Serve hot, or chill and serve cold. Either way, it's delicious!
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Lee says
Hi Emily,
I love your site, am new to it so am still finding my way around but will definitely be coming back for more! Your pics are so lively and vibrant, I'm impressed as well as a bit jealous of your photo skills.
I like the sound of this dish as I am fast becoming a huge fan of feta and I do like capers. To be honest I never thought to combine them so kudos to you for that!
Will definitely let you know how this goes and of course how fast too, haha.
Once again, thanks Emily for an amazingly inspirational site, you really have worked hard to create something truly unique and something for me to aspire towards,
All That I'm Eating says
I love the idea of adding capers to this, I must try that soon!
Helen says
I'm new to your blog and hooked! This pasta dish looks great - I always forget about capers - but they really add a bit of zing to a dish don't they! H x
Emily Leary says
What a lovely comment - thank you! Yeah, I forget about capers too and then I buy a jar and use them in everything!
Kristie says
This looks and sounds divine, Emily!
Jo says
This looks lovely, pasta should definitely not just be a wintery dish.