Greek Pasta Bake (Toss)

I had been craving something with Greek flavors and especially a pasta dish and we had some tomatoes we needed to use so I looked through my saved recipes (I have about three lifetimes worth) to discover one from Taste Of Home which sounded almost perfect but I adapted it a little to suit our taste and ingredients – we prefer tossed vs. baked for most pasta dishes.

Greek Pasta Bake Toss – Adapted From “Taste Of Home”

Ingredients:

1 package penne pasta

3-4 cups cubed cooked chicken breast (we grilled ours)

29 ounce can tomato sauce

1 cup fresh tomatoes, diced and squeezed a little

1 cup cherry tomatoes, whole or halved depending on size

2 packages fresh spinach, chopped and sautéed (or 10 oz frozen)

½ cup each sliced ripe and kalamata olives, sliced

1/3 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons chopped yellow pepper

1 tsp minced garlic

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup crumbled feta cheese, plus more for garnish

Directions:

1. In a 12” sauté pan, with some olive oil, cook the onion and green pepper until soft, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant.

2. Add the spinach and sauté until well wilted and most of the liquid is gone.

3. Stir in the tomato sauce, diced & grape tomatoes, chicken, herbs, olives, and S&P to taste and simmer about 20 minutes.

4. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return to cooking pan

5. Add the sauce to the pasta cooking pan along with the cheeses and toss until well combined.

6. Plate and top with a little more feta.

We served it with a Caesar salad for a delicious meal – this was definitely a keeper pasta dish.

Photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry

3/21/17 Meal Date