Pasta with Almost Every Herb in the Garden

Recipe by: Viana La Place | from My Italian Garden

Cookstr

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Total Time: Under 30 Minutes

Skill Level: Easy

Cost: Inexpensive

pasta-with-almost-every-herb-in-the-garden

Photo by: Joseph De Leo

I’ve made this sauce in Italy with wild herbs that I gathered in the countryside. I love preparing it with my own fresh herbs. Wild herbs are quite pungent and highly aromatic, and a little goes a long way. When I make this pasta from my garden, I use a wide variety of herbs to create the complex taste and aroma of truly wild herbs and achieve a very successful dish. Feel free to use whatever assortment of herbs appeals to you or is available to you.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

Sea salt
1 pound imported orecchiette or penne rigate
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
2 fresh bay leaves, torn in half
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons chopped fresh winter savory
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
3 tablespoons finely chopped wild fennel tops
Large handful of arugula, stemmed and chopped
1 heaping tablespoon salt-cured capers or Salt-cured Nasturtium Buds
Freshly grated pecorino cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente.

Meanwhile, place the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the garlic and red pepper and warm over low heat until the garlic is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add all the herbs, the capers, and salt to taste and stir gently. Let the herbs warm over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, at which time the sauce should be quite aromatic.

Drain the pasta and, off the heat, toss with the sauce, adding more olive oil as needed. Serve sprinkled with a few spoonfuls of pecorino.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Nutrients per serving (% daily value)

Nutritional information is based on 6 servings, does not include additional olive oil for serving, freshly grated pecorino cheese, or Salt-cured Nasturtium Buds. For nutritional information on Salt-cured Nasturtium Buds, please follow the link above.

Calories 409kcal (20%)

Calcium 49mg (5%)

Vitamin C 2mg (3%)

Vitamin A 13mcg RAE (0%)

Potassium 217mg

Magnesium 47mg

Protein 10g

Sugar 2g

Fiber 3g

Total Carbohydrate 58g

Cholesterol 0mg (0%)

Sodium 298mg (12%)