CAVATAPPI WITH VEGETABLE SAUCE

Pasta entree - first course - vegetarian


1 lb. Cavatappi shaped pasta
12 black olives
12 small leaves swiss chard, julienned
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 cup peas, frozen
1 cup green beans, french cut, frozen
1 tbsp capers, packed in salt, rinsed
1 cup strained tomatoes
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp cream cheese (optional)
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped


Put a large pot of water to a boil.

In a large skillet, warm the olive oil and sautee onions until translucent then add swiss chard, peas, green beans, strained tomatoes and a few tbsp of water to help cooking the vegetables. Cook for about 5 minutes.

Now add olives and capers and reduce heat to low, season with salt and pepper (optional) and simmer for 10 more minutes.

To have a creamier sauce, add cream cheese along with a couple tbsp milk to help cheese melting.

When water boils, add salt and pasta and cook for about 7 minutes; drain, reserving some of the cooking water, and arrange in the skillet with the sauce.

Sautee for 1-2 minutes, tossing to coat evenly; add a few tbsp of the cooking water to thin sauce, if it's too thick.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

This recipe serves 4.


- If you use fresh peas and green beans, it is better to "pre-boil" them in the same water you'll use to cook pasta.

- Since we're in summer, you can use fresh tomatoes instead of strained ones: in this case you'll need at lease 2 big ones.

- If you use fresh tomatoes, I would avoid cream cheese.