Mediterranean Linguine

Once an Earls girl, always an Earls girl. Having worked there for over 5 years, one of my faaavourite dishes of all time is Mediterranean Linguine. I used to eat this pasta way more than I’d like to admit, so once I left the restaurant industry, I tried to master the craft of making it at home. And to this day, I still love to make it, so I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to share the recipe!

Even though I have the Earls cookbook, I actually prefer this version of the recipe better, if I do say so myself. Plus, this one has vino in it, so… is it even a competition? This recipe yields about 4-6 servings.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, chopped

• 3 1/2 cups whole tomatoes (I use either Hunts Heirloom Tomatoes or San Marzano Tomatoes)

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 1 ½ cups grape tomatoes

• ¼ cup thinly sliced jarred roasted red peppers

• 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped

• 3/4 pound linguine

• 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley

• 1/2 cup chopped basil

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

• 1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese

• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

• 1 teaspoon chili flakes

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet, and add a little bit of the garlic. Next, in your blender of choice, blend 2 cups of your whole tomatoes, the white wine and remaining garlic in a blender. Add your puree to the fragrant oil, and simmer until it becomes a thick sauce - about 5 minutes on medium-high heat (I like reducing it rather than adding a starch to thicken it)!

2. While that’s simmering, let’s boil some pasta! Because I like to save time, I actually use my SMEG kettle to boil water a little faster than the stove… it really does save time! Follow the directions of your favourite linguine, and some salt to your water, and cook until el dente - tender but firm.

3. Next, add the olives, tomatoes, peppers, parsley, basil, and balsamic vinegar to the sauce in the skillet over medium-high heat. Crush the remaining whole tomatoes with your hands, and add them to the sauce, along with the lemon zest, chili flakes, and half of the feta. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add your cooked pasta, and toss in sauce. Feel free to add reserved pasta water to the sauce if it’s too dry.

5. Finally, serve your pasta mounded high in a bowl, and top with remaining feta and parsley. Mangia! Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!

xo

Linnea