I realize that “yogurt & pea pasta with feta, basil, & chile pine nuts” doesn’t exactly *sound* easy. But I promise it is. This slightly adaptation of Yotam Ottolenghi’s pea pasta is a super simple meal with fascinating, complex flavors, all in under 30 minutes.
I’ve made a few slight changes to the recipe, mostly to simplify steps (and number of bowls/pots), ensure it’s seasoned properly (it definitely needed more salt), and adjusting a few of the ingredient amounts.
Below I’ve also included both a “full” recipe (in the recipe card) and a smaller version that’s roughly 2/3 to 3/4 of the original, adapted for 2 to 4 people—or one person plus a few meals of leftovers.
This might be a controversial take, but I actually loved this the MOST cold straight out of the fridge…or maybe zapped for 20 seconds in the microwave but still basically cold. It makes totally bomb leftovers.
Put the yogurt, 6 tablespoons of the olive oil (a little over 1/3 cup), the garlic, and about half of the peas in a food processor (remember, THAWED or fresh is important).
Blitz to a uniform pale green sauce and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add some salt and a bit of white pepper and taste. Don’t over-salt for now, but some seasoning is important.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt heavily, and add the pasta. Cook until al dente (usually 6-7 minutes). In the last 2 minutes of the pasta cooking, add the remaining peas to heat them up.
As the pasta cooks, heat the remaining olive oil in a small frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the chile flakes and fry for a couple minutes to turn the oil a deep red, then add the pine nuts and cook for maybe a minute, stirring frequently (they’ll burn in a second so watch carefully).
Crumble up your feta and tear up your basil as well.
Drain the cooked pasta and peas into a colander, shake well to get rid of the water, and add it GRADUALLY to the yogurt sauce, stirring to toss. Adding it all at once may cause the yogurt to split.
Add the basil, feta, and more salt and pepper. Toss gently and taste, adjusting the seasoning as needed.
Transfer to individual bowls, spoon the pine nuts and their oil over the bowls and serve.
This is delicious fresh and hot, but I found that I loved it EVEN MORE cold straight out of the fridge, or with the chill barely taken off with a quick 20-second zap in the microwave.
After some time in the fridge, the flavors have all really melded together and yet each flavor is more strong and distinct. This is a winning leftover recipe!
I think you’ll find that Ottolenghi’s pea pasta has so many interesting textures and flavors that it will go into your regular dinner rotation!
Other interesting (& easy) pasta recipes you’ll love:
- Pesto Goat Cheese Pasta with Zucchini
- Garlicky Farfalle with Marinated Feta & Arugula
- Rigatoni with Grilled Fairytale Eggplant, Tomato, Herbs, & Chicken
- Creamy Charred Corn & Leek Fettuccine
- Pasta with Roasted Peppers, Chicken Sausage & Goat Cheese
Adapted slightly from The Kitchn (originally Yotam Ottolenghi)
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Yogurt & Pea Pasta with Feta, Basil, & Chile Pine Nuts
This here is a SMALLER BATCH RECIPE using only 12 ounces of pasta, see the full-batch recipe in the card below (using a 16-ounce box of pasta). This version feeds 2 or 3 people.
- 12 ounces of dried conchiglie pasta (shells); see notes
- 1 1/2 cups of plain Greek yogurt (original recipe had a bit too much, overpowered)
- 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 12 ounces of pound fresh or thawed frozen peas, divided
- Heavy 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 2 teaspoons of Turkish or Syrian chile flakes, or red pepper flakes (adjust depending on how spicy they are)
- 1 1/4 cups fresh basil leaves, coarsely torn
- 6 ounces feta cheese, broken into chunks
- Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
- Put the yogurt, 6 tablespoons of the olive oil (a little over 1/3 cup), the garlic, and about half of the peas in a food processor. Blitz to a uniform pale green sauce and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add some salt and a bit of white pepper and taste. Don’t oversalt for now, but some seasoning is important.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt heavily, and add the pasta. Cook until al dente (usually 6-7 minutes).
- As the pasta cooks, heat the remaining olive oil in a small frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the chile flakes and fry for a couple minutes to turn the oil a deep red, then add the pine nuts and cook for maybe a minute, stirring frequently (they’ll burn in a second so watch carefully).
- In the last 2 minutes of the pasta cooking, add the remaining peas to heat them up.
- Drain the cooked pasta and peas into a colander, shake well to get rid of the water, and add it GRADUALLY to the yogurt sauce, stirring to toss. Adding it all at once may cause the yogurt to split.
- Add the basil, feta, and more salt and pepper. Toss gently and taste, adjusting the seasoning as needed.
- Transfer to individual bowls, spoon the pine nuts and their oil over the bowls and serve.
Notes:
- The recipe calls for conchighlie, which I didn’t realize were just regular pasta shells (kind of medium size) you could find at any grocery store. So I used oricchette (ears), and either works but I think the shells would be even better.
- I do recommend finding a block of feta if possible and breaking it up yourself, vs. pre-crumbled. The texture is much better. But either works.
- This makes amazing leftovers, great straight out of the fridge or warmed just slightly to take the chill off.
Ottolenghi's Yogurt & Pea Pasta with Feta, Basil, & Chile Pine Nuts
Ingredients
- 1 pound (16 ounces) of dried conchiglie pasta (shells); see notes
- 2 1/4 cups of plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup of olive oil, divided
- 4 cloves of garlic, crushed or minced
- 1 pound of fresh or THAWED frozen peas, divided
- Scant 1/2 cup of pine nuts
- 2 teaspoons Turkish or Syrian chile flakes, or red pepper flakes (adjust depending on how spicy they are)
- 1 2/3 cups of fresh basil leaves, coarsely torn
- 8 ounces of feta cheese, broken into chunks (see notes)
- Kosher salt and white pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Put the yogurt, 6 tablespoons of the olive oil (a little over 1/3 cup), the garlic, and about half of the peas in a food processor. Blitz to a uniform pale green sauce and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add some salt and a bit of white pepper and taste. Don't oversalt for now, but some seasoning is important.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt heavily, and add the pasta. Cook until al dente (usually 6-7 minutes).
- As the pasta cooks, heat the remaining olive oil in a small frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the chile flakes and fry for a couple minutes to turn the oil a deep red, then add the pine nuts and cook for maybe a minute, stirring frequently (they'll burn in a second so watch carefully).
- In the last 2 minutes of the pasta cooking, add the remaining peas to heat them up.
- Drain the cooked pasta and peas into a colander, shake well to get rid of the water, and add it GRADUALLY to the yogurt sauce, stirring to toss. Adding it all at once may cause the yogurt to split.
- Add the basil, feta, and more salt and pepper. Toss gently and taste, adjusting the seasoning as needed.
Transfer to individual bowls, spoon the pine nuts and their oil over the bowls and serve.
Notes
- The recipe calls for conchighlie, which I didn't realize were just regular pasta shells (kind of medium size) you could find at any grocery store. So I used oricchette (ears), and either works but I think the shells would be even better.
- I do recommend finding a block of feta if possible and breaking it up yourself, vs. pre-crumbled. The texture is much better. But either works.
- This makes amazing leftovers, great straight out of the fridge or warmed just slightly to take the chill off.
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