Greek Spaghetti

Funny story. While in Greece, I basically dinner rescued each meal at the retreat. The best part about being the chef, was going to the grocery store, walking around and deciding what I would make for meals on the spot. This is one of my favorite things to do. I was a kid on Christmas day. Dancing through the aisles, not being able to read ANYTHING. It’s literally all Greek to me.

Anyway, I was able to plan pretty well and use almost everything I had purchased in Santorini…. only a little food leftover in the fridge when we left for Athens, and I didn’t want to throw it out. You know me. #usewhatyouhave

So I packed it in a brown bag, and off to the airport we went. No one batted an eye. Apparently taking groceries on a plane from Santorini to Athens is a thing? The brown bag of food rode on my lap the entire flight.

The ingredients that came with me to our Athens apartment was our dinner the first night. A delicious Greek inspired spaghetti. The definition of using what you have. Here’s the recipe. It’s so good.

Greek Spaghetti

1 lb. spaghetti

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded & cubed

1 small sweet or red onion

1 tbsp. sea fennel or capers

1 cup green olives

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup diced tomatoes fresh or canned

1 tbsp. oregano

1 tbsp. parsley

1 garlic clove minced or 1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 tbsp. pomegranate or fig vinegar

Feta or Parmesan cheese for garnish

Fresh parsley

Make your sauce. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Prep the butternut squash. Peel, seed and dice the squash. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roast the butternut squash in a single layer on the lined baking sheet. Roast for 25-30 minutes. (You can use frozen squash if you want to simplify this recipe.)

In a large pot, saute the onion, until tender for about 5-6 minutes. Then add the tomatoes, capers, olives, broth, diced tomatoes, seasonings and vinegar. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Then add the roasted cubed squash. Stir to combine. Simmer for 5-8 more minutes.

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain. Serve with the warm sauce and feta and chopped parsley for garnish.

Delish. xo