Recipe: The Mediterranean "Umami" Pasta

Sometimes, the best meals are the simplest. When you use ingredients of this caliber, you don't need heavy sauces to hide the flavor—you only need a few minutes to highlight them.

Ingredients (Serves 2):

• 250g [LASANON Handmade Lasagna with Turmeric]
• 4 tbsp [di Morea PDO Kalamata Organic EVOO]
• 1 tsp [Nyssos Greek Salad Spice Mix] (or dried oregano)
• 50g Aged Feta cheese, crumbled
• A handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
• Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Method:

The Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the LASANON Lasagna. Because they are handmade and slow-dried, they cook quickly (usually 3-4 minutes). Aim for al dente to preserve the texture.

The Infusion: While the pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons of the di Morea olive oil in a large pan over low heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and the Nyssos spice mix. Let them soften for 2 minutes—don't fry them, just let the oil absorb the aromas.

The Toss: Reserve half a cup of the pasta water, then drain them. Add the pasta and the reserved water to the pan. Toss gently for 1 minute until the water and oil create a light, silky emulsion.

The Finish: Remove from heat. This is the most important part: drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of cold di Morea oil over the pasta to keep its antioxidants and "peppery" notes intact.

Serve: Top with crumbled feta and fresh basil.