Penne & Cherry Tomato Sauce

FEATURING MONJAY MEZZA’S MARINATED GOATS FETA

Not much needs to be done to enjoy our products, Break open a packet of your favourite crackers or cut a carrot into batons and dip away. Or simply arrange our delicious finger foods on a platter and watch them crowd around. But the potential of our range is so much more, and we want to prove it. So we've created our very own recipe page to show you the versatility of our products. Dips to marinate or bake with, finger food transformed into main meals - the limit is your imagination.

YIELDS: 4 Servings (at $4 a serve!)
COOK TIME: 30min

Sick of instant ramen and tinned tuna? Step it up without blowing the budget with this traditional pasta full of punchy flavour. If it’s not the season for cherry tomatoes, swap for the tinned variety (a truly cheap meal), but you will lose the deeper, intense flavour that roasting imparts.

Yes, there are anchovies in this recipe, but don’t fret: you won’t taste them. We promise. Used this way in a pasta sauce, they dissolve very easily and impart a complex, salty flavour that lends real depth to a dish that only takes around 20 minutes.

Look for anchovies packed in olive oil, with nothing other than anchovies, olive oil and salt listed as ingredients. Since you won’t use the entire jar in this recipe, top with olive oil if any remaining anchovies aren’t covered, and they’ll keep this way for around two months in the fridge.

The uses for these salty little ocean critters are limited only by your imagination. Crush them with a little garlic and mix into melted butter for a flavourful dipping sauce for raw vegetables. Stuff halved capsicums with anchovies, garlic, basil and wedges of tomato and roast until soft and blackened. Sauté with pinenuts and raisins and scatter over steamed broccolini for a tasty and healthy side dish.

Anchovies are a quick and powerful way to bring oomph to your cheap meals.

Ingredients

A glass of white wine
500g cherry tomatoes
Olive oil
500g Penne
5 anchovy fillets in oil, drained
2 garlic cloves, crushed
A red chilli, sliced thinly
100g pitted kalamata olives, halved
A sprinkle of sugar
Monjay Mezza Marinated Goats Feta

How to Prepare

Heat the oven to 180 degrees.

Take a sip of wine. Contemplate your dream home.

Halve the cherry tomatoes and place on a baking tray. Sprinkle with olive and salt, then roast for 20-25 minutes until wrinkled and slumped.

Fill a large saucepan with water, salt generously then put on a high flame. When boiling, throw in the pasta.

Get a frying pan onto a medium flame and pour in two tablespoons of olive oil. Add the anchovies, moving them around, crushing them a little with a wooden spoon until they dissolve into a salty, punchy ooze.

Add the garlic, chilli and olives, then deglaze with a splash of white wine from your glass.

Throw in the collapsed tomatoes, a sprinkle of sugar, and give everything a stir. Season if necessary (there should be plenty of salt from the anchovies and olives already).

Drain the penne when it’s just al dente, reserving half a cup of the water, and add both to the sauce. Toss, then leave for a few minutes to mingle.

Finish your wine. Contemplate your dream holiday.

Serve the pasta and top each bowl with a few spoonfuls of Monjay’s marinated Goat’s Feta, with salad on the side.

Monjay Mezza is the home of traditional Middle Eastern Dips, Finger Food and Desserts.

Featured Product

Marinated Goats Feta

Our soft, spreadable goats feta has been marinated in oil with herbs and spices to create a luxurious and versatile cheese perfect for every occasion.

Why not try it in a wrap with our delicious falafels? You’ll find the rich creaminess of the feta a perfect compliment to all our finger foods! It is amazing in salads, the perfect compliment to a mezza plate and adds extra flavour and nutrition to wrap and sandwiches. This product is only available in Victoria.

Learn more about our Goats Feta View our full Cheese range