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Spaghetti Primavera with Feta

There are so many choices now when it comes to pasta, that after a weight-watching hiatus I’m slowly starting to add it back to my diet, albeit in small quantities. Here is one of my favorite, easy Greek recipes for plant-forward, vegetarian pasta. I season my Greek primavera with wild Greek herbs and sea salt, which you can find online, and with chunks of tangy Greek feta. Don’t forget to drizzle in a generous amount of soul-satisfying extra-virgin Greek olive oil, too!
SERVES 5

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Greek olive oil plus more for tossing with pasta
  • 1 red onion finely chopped
  • ½ pound fresh green beans trimmed and coarsely chopped
  • 2 large zucchini trimmed and cut into 1-inch dice
  • 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1 pound cherry or teardrop tomatoes stems removed, washed and dried
  • Greek sea salt to taste
  • 2 teaspoons wild Greek oregano or savory
  • 1 bunch fresh basil stems removed, julienned
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 pound spaghetti whole wheat spaghetti, or chickpea spaghetti
  • Salt to taste
  • ½ pound Greek feta crumbled or cubed
  • ½ - 2/3 cup grated Greek kefalotyri or kefalograviera cheese or other grating cheese, such as parmesan or romano

Instructions

  1. Place a large pot of water on high heat to boil. Start the sauce, below. When the water boils, add a generous amount of salt or Greek sea salt and cook the spaghetti until al dente. Drain, saving about a cup of the pasta liquid, and toss with 2 – 4 tablespoons of extra virgin Greek olive oil.
  2. As the water, then pasta, cook: In a large, wide skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and cook the onion for 8 – 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and very lightly colored.
  3. Add the fresh beans and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat, until they turn bright green and glisten with the oil. Add the zucchini, toss in the pan, and cook, stirring, until al dente. Gently stir in the garlic.
  4. Add the cherry tomatoes, raise the heat, and toss in the pan either using a wooden spoon or by shaking the pan back and forth, until the skins begin to burst with the heat. Season with Greek sea salt, wild oregano or savory, and black pepper.
  5. Add the primavera topping to the spaghetti in the pan. Add the basil, feta and grated cheese and toss gently. Add a little of the pasta water if you want to make the spaghetti a bit juicier. Serve immediately.