“That smells exactly like bagel bites!”

This was the comment I received from three of my roommates as I cooked this pasta dish.  I blame the salami.  I for one, have never been fortunate (unfortunate?) enough to try a bagel bite, so I quickly had to google the term to find out exactly what it was.  WOW they look good.  Is there anything better than miniature pizzas?  I think not.  It looks like I’m going to need to make my own Hilary-style bagel bites sometime soon.

Like the chalet chicken soup I made a few posts back, this recipe came from the March issue of Canadian Living, which seems to contain several more gems that I plan on making before the actual month rolls around.  This was just a really solid dish that allowed me to use up some more of my huge pasta supply.  Also, I’ve never really tried salami before…is that sad?  Maybe my mom used to occasionally sneak it into my sandwiches when I was young, but I have never knowingly tried this famous sandwich meat.  There we are, another confession from my sad, pre-foodie life.  Buying this salami allowed me to talk to the cute boy in the deli section of the grocery store.  Score!  Also, I left out the olives from the original recipe, since no matter how hard I try, I cannot force myself to enjoy those oily little buggers.  If you are an olive lover, I admire you.  Also, this means that à la How I Met Your Mother, I need to date someone who LOVES olives.  It’s a valuable thing to know.

PS: I can’t believe I once thought that feta cheese smelled like feet.  It is my favourite now.
PPS: Isn’t that woven placemat background the best thing ever?  I bought it at IKEA for $1.
PPPS: The black bowl was also purchased during my last IKEA trip.  I seriously have SO many random dishes lying around the kitchen that I use solely to plate food.  It is a mismatched pottery paradise.
PPPPS: I brought a tupperware container of this to class the other day and had to eat it with a piece of baguette because I forgot cutlery.  Let me tell you, there are definitely worse things in life than bread utensils.

See recipe after the jump!

Recipe: Mixed Pepper, Salami and Feta Pasta
Adapted from Canadian Living, March 2011

– 1 sweet red pepper, chopped
– 1 yello pepper, chopped
– 2 tbsp olive oil
– 1 onion, chopped
–  1 tomato, chopped
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
– 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
– 1 tsp dried oregano
– 5 slices Genoa salami, cut in thin strips
– 3 cups penne
– 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

In a large, non-stick pan, heat half the oil over medium heat and cook peppers and onions, stirring occasionally, until softened.

Stir in tomato, garlic, rosemary, oregano, salt and pepper.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes.  Add salami and remaining oil.  Cook for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta.  Drain, reserving a bit of the cooking liquid.  Stir pasta and reserved cooking liquid into pepper mixture and stir to coat.  Let cook in pan for 5 minutes.

Divide among bowls and top with a generous amount of feta cheese.