Pasta with Peppers, Olives & Feta, a dog’s life

Back in the beginning of time, when we lived in Minnesota, we used to go to the Renaissance Festival.

We tried to pick one of those perfect autumnal, Midwest days when it’s warm but not too warm, with the sky a brilliant blue.

One year we even took our dog…..

She was a Saint Bernard, so she was a rather large dog.

One of the specialty food items at the Fest was turkey legs. The were cooked over an open fire (of course) and one was supposed to eat them by firmly gripping the foot end of the leg and ripping off the flesh with your teeth – like in days of old…..

This was usually done by young men.

We were following a group of such young men. One of them would rip a bit off the leg, and then drop his arm straight down, swinging it, and the turkey leg, in gay abandon.

On one such occasion, when his arm hit the forward swing for another bite, it was empty.

As it happened the upward trajectory of his backword swing was at the precise height of the mouth of our St. Bernard.

She thought it was a gift being offered and grabbed it. She was happy; the guy was not.

I digress….

We never ate a turkey leg. Our favorite Festival food (I should say, one of our favorites) was the Knave Sandwich: a spicy sausage, smothered in grilled peppers and onions.

I still make them occasionally, but more often I combine the peppers with pasta and serve with the sausage, rather in a bun with the sausage.

Like this….

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Pasta with Peppers, Olives & Feta

Print Recipe

I used a yellow bell pepper, but any color will work. 

• Author: Katie
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 2 servings 1x
• Category: Pasta

Ingredients

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• 1 1/4 cup (4oz, 12gr) bite-size pasta 
• 1 bell pepper, any color, roughly chopped 
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 2 cups (15oz, 450gr) tomatoes, peeled, chopped, juices reserved
• 1 tbs olive oil 
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 12 green olives, sliced in thirds
• 10 dry-cured Greek olives, pitted, sliced in thirds
• 1/3 cup (1oz, 30gr) feta, crumbled 

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Instructions

• Cook pasta according to package directions.
• When done, drain. 
• Heat olive oil in a medium skillet
• Add peppers, onions and sauté until tender.
• Add paprika, cumin, and sauté briefly
• Add tomatoes and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes
• Add pasta and heat through.
• Add olives, Feta, stir to combine, and serve. 

Notes

You could cook the peppers and onions on the grill, heating the tomatoes and spices separately.

Oh, yes…. we bought the guy another turkey leg and our Saint got to gnaw on the one she stole for a few minutes.

Speaking of dogs:

I no longer use a leash for our morning walks. Guapa was never as interested in chasing bunnies as Bonnie was. She just liked to chase Bonnie.

Because she gets to walk un-tethered, she’s developed her own walk. She goes behind the house and under the deck around the pool. Occasionally, she will stop and look to make sure I’m still following – at a distance, as required.

Then she continues on…. Even if I don’t follow her she knows the way home.

Once she gets to the old farm road, she increases her pace. I get the occasional glance over her shoulder.

She always stays on the road from this point on…. head slightly lowered to pick up any new smells. She’s a serious walker on a mission: Morning naps are about to commence.

When we get home, she waits at the gate for me, even though it’s open.

I guess she wants to make certain I’m there – treats and such.