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In This Issue

A delicious twist on basic spaghetti: Baking it with spinach, sausage and cheese melds the flavors deliciously and creates a one-dish meal that’s almost as good as lasagna—without all the work. Use a smaller or larger amount of meat, as desired, or omit completely for a vegetarian version.

Serves: 6 as a side, 4 as a vegetarian main dish

Ingredient Notes

1. Kalamata Olives This kind of olive is stronger-tasting and saltier than regular black olives, so if you’re not familiar with them, use the smaller amount. If buying from an olive bar, be sure to get some brine for the dressing. Also look for pitted olives to save time. If you must pit your own, a cherry pitter does a good job.

Greek Style Potato Salad

A great alternative to the familiar, mayonnaise-based potato salad. This one uses a light dressing that draws on the flavors of salty kalamata olives and fresh lemon juice and oregano. Be sure to use the new potatoes that begin hitting the markets in late June and early July.
Ingredients	Instructions
2 lbs. new potatoes (about 5-6 medium-sized potatoes, 2½ to 3” in diameter or 14-16 small, 1½” to 2” potatoes) 1 Tbsp. olive oil Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste	Step 1: Cut and Microwave Potatoes Cut potatoes in half lengthwise, then cut halves into slices ¼” thick. Place slices in a microwaveable glass dish, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss potatoes with hands, rubbing slices to coat evenly with oil. Cover dish with glass lid (or dinner plates), microwave 4 minutes, stir potatoes well, then microwave another 4 minutes. Repeat this process 3-4 more times, until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. (Total cooking time will vary depending on microwave.)
1 lrg. red onion, sliced ¼” thick and 1” long ½ Tbsp. olive oil	Step 2: Saute Onion In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat until fairly hot but not smoking (i.e., a piece of onion will sizzle when dropped in.) Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until just begin to turn brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large salad bowl.
1½ lb. zucchini (e.g. 5-6 small, 5” squash), cut in ½ square matchsticks, 2 “ long ½ Tbsp. olive oil Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste	Step 3: Brown Zucchini Pour second half tablespoon of oil into saute pan and heat over medium high heat until fairly hot but not smoking. Add half the zucchini and spread out evenly over saute pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Keep heat on medium high and allow zucchini to brown nicely (about 2-3 minutes) before turning with a spatula. Cook and turn like this until zucchini is browned on most sides. Remove to salad bowl with onions. Repeat process with other half of zucchini then remove to salad bowl.
2 med. tomatoes, diced to ½” 15 to 20 pitted kalamata olives, chopped roughly (more or less, to taste)	Step 4: Prep and Add Tomatoes and Olives Add tomatoes and olives to bowl with zucchini and onion. When done, add potatoes and toss gently to combine.
4 Tbsp. brine from kalamata olives Zest of 2 lemons, chopped roughly 2 to 4 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice, more or less, to taste 2 Tbsp. olive oil ¼ cup chopped fresh oregano Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste	Step 5: Make Dressing Combine olive brine, zest, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano and salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl, using less salt than normal since the olives will add more saltiness. Whisk together with a fork.
¼ to ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled	Step 6: Assemble Salad Pour dressing over salad, gently toss again to combine, scooping down to bottom of bowl to bring up any dressing pooled there. Top finished salad with feta.