A brick of feta is a pasta sauce waiting to happen. Release its potential with this springy, creamy, gently spicy pasta recipe! Curly cavatelli cozies up with frozen peas (or fresh if you've got 'em), pickled peppers, sun dried tomatoes, and a heap of fresh mint for a modern take on a pasta primavera. Meanwhile, pasta water and crumbled feta form an elegant sauce with that'd work with just about any noodle. We don't often think of cooking feta, but heat amplifies its fruity twang and beautiful brined aroma. And best of all, with a heavy dose of pantry ingredients, this pasta recipe comes together in just 20 minutes from start to finish!
Our cow's milk Salty Sea Feta is perfect for this recipe, but you can also use Goat Feta or Sheep Feta for an even creamier dish. For the pickled peppers, oil-packed Calabrian chiles provide a delicious balance of heat, acidity, and sweetness; we recommend using oil-packed chiles, but don't be afraid to experiment with the kind or amount of chile and sun dried tomato to fit your tastes.
Serves four people
Ingredients
- 1 pound of pasta, such as cavatelli
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 pound peas, frozen or fresh (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped sun dried tomatoes (about 6)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped pickled peppers, preferably oil-packed
- 1 8-ounce block of Salty Sea Feta, crumbled
- 1 cup mint leaves from 1 bunch, finely chopped
Method
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and add the pasta. Don't use a giant pot—you want just enough water to cover the pasta while it cooks. Less water = more concentrated pasta water for a richer sauce. Stir the pasta frequently to keep pasta from sticking and ensure even cooking. This will also help knock more sauce-friendly starch into the water.
Meanwhile, place a large straight-sided pan on low heat. Add the olive oil, peas, sun dried tomatoes, and pickled peppers to gently warm through while the pasta cooks.
When the pasta is just cooked through but still firm, ladle out 1 cup of pasta cooking water and drain the rest of the pasta. Add the cooked pasta to your large pan and increase heat to high. Stir to combine while you slowly add the pasta cooking water. When the water comes to a boil, add the feta and let it melt through the pasta. Keep stirring to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom: you want a thin sauce that just clings to the pasta with bubbles stacked around the edge of the pan. The sauce will continue to thicken after cooking.
Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the mint and taste for seasoning. The pasta water and feta already contain salt, so you may need less than usual to finish. Serve immediately.
