The pasta part of this recipe is basically just a quick and easy “anchor” for my friend Shannon’s DELICIOUS Mediterranean Broccoli Salad! I’ve made this a couple times since first tasting it on NYE, and I love it best assembled at least a few hours ahead of time, for the dressing to have time to really “mingle” with the ingredients…extra-good because it’s super-healthy, too! So, if you can, assemble the salad earlier in the day (or even night before) and then throw your pasta dish together. This is a nice change to basic salad as a side for your “Italian” or Pizza Nights. You can use any kind of pasta and add in any kind of meat – I prefer Italian sausage or meatballs – or can do completely meatless, if that’s your preference.
Ingredients for the Pasta
Pasta of your choice, enough for your family – for this recipe I used gnocchi (one one side of the dish for me, penne on the other, for Ronnie)
Jarred sauce of your choice – for this recipe I used a fancy Pomodoro jarred sauce from Central Market. Because I’m using fresh mozzerella on this, I love the combo of pomodoro sauce, particularly, with the fresh cheese.
Meatballs (I used frozen for this recipe), or your choice of meat, if you like – could use ground beef, or Italian sausage, cooked.
Fresh mozzerella – I just sliced off a few chunks from a ball. You could also use regular grated mozzerella, but for this, I chose fresh.
Olive oil – I keep onhand in a mister – so I just misted the top when ready to pop into the oven – you could drizzle it though also…the olive oil topper just gives the top of your baked pasta a little extra golden brown goodness!
Instructions for the Pasta
1. If you’re using sausage or ground beef, saute it up in a skillet til brown and done. Then add in your jarred sauce – warm. If you’re using frozen meatballs, just plop em in a medium pan and add sauce on top and let simmer on medium til meatballs are warm.
2. Boil your pasta of choice in salted water and strain.
3. In a casserole dish, add a layer of sauce on the bottom, add your pasta, then top with warm sauce and meat mixture.
4. Top the pasta and sauce with chunks or slices of fresh mozzerella or regular, grated mozzerella.
5. Mist the top (or pour a tbsp or two of olive oil into a bowl and drizzle with a spoon over the top) of the pasta.
6. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes – til top is melty and golden brown.
Ingredients for the Mediterranean Broccoli Salad
Couple cups broccoli florets, chopped if you want
1 Cucumber, diced
1 can Artichokes, at least quartered, chopped if you want
About a cup of red cherry tomatoes (more or less as you want) – I like the “Sugar Bomb” type cherry tomatoes and use them whenever I can find them. They offer a highly flavored, sweet pop to this recipe in particular.
About a quarter purple/red onion, diced fine
Kalamata olives, a small handful (or more, to taste)
Optional – I diced up a little fresh mozzerella and tossed it in there, too.
Couple lemons – for just our family of 3 I used the juice of one lemon – increase for larger groups
Mayo – few tbsp for our family of 3 – increase for larger groups
Garlic – I always just use bottled, because I cannot tell a difference, but if you prefer fresh, grate some up! I just used probably a tsp for our family of 3.
Olive oil – I used extra virgin, and maybe a tsp or two – increase amount if preparing for a large group.
Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions for the Mediterranean Broccoli Salad
1. Throw all the vegetables together in a large mixing bowl.
2. For the dressing, blend the lemon juice, mayo, garlic and olive oil together in a small-medium measuring cup and whisk together well so it makes an “aoli.”
3. Blend the aoli/dressing with the veggies in your mixing bowl and refrigerate for a few hours, to let all the flavors mingle. This is also excellent and fresh-tasting the next day.
Can toss some garlic toast or yummy French bread in the oven to serve with this. Hope you enjoy!
Everyday at the 4J 