This is a favorite make-ahead recipe of mine. If you mix together all the ingredients but the pasta the night before, then making dinner the next day will be easy. This is so great to do if you’re expecting company for dinner and have to work that day. Plan ahead, and all you have to do before your guests arrive is make the pasta and this dish is DONE!
I have also added leftover grilled vegetables along with the pasta, and this made the dish even more interesting. I love the new wholegrain pastas that are now available in supermarkets making even a pasta dish healthy.
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped, plus 1 Tbsp. reserved oil
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 lg. cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (Optional, but so good). I just toast them in the toaster oven.
salt and pepper to taste
Place all of the above ingredients into a bowl and set aside. (Cover and refrigerate if using tomorrow).
Meanwhile prepare 8 oz. of your favorite pasta (Try the wholegrain — rotelli works really well) according to package directions. Drain. If adding any leftover veggies warm them up now.
Mix everything together.
ADD: 1/4 – 1/2 cup pesto, (small jars of pesto can be found near spaghetti sauce in the supermarket). The pesto will add a lot of flavor, color, and texture.
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