Something good to eat, and fast? A big plate of steaming pasta, that's the best way to fill the order.

There are countless ways to dress a half-pound of spaghetti, of course. Perhaps you've a favorite concoction of olive oil, garlic and red pepper. Or maybe there's even a jarred tomato sauce from the grocery shelf that does in a pinch, when you've no time to match your appetite.Here are two good pastas to add to the gotta-have-it-fast repertoire.

One great thing about both of these is that you can shop up the ingredients and simply have them on hand. An unopened package of feta cheese, after all, has quite a shelf life.

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RECIPES

GREEK PASTA

1/2 pound spaghetti

1 can (21/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives

5 shallots

3/4 cup (4 ounces) sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, plus 3 tablespoons of the oil

8 ounces feta cheese

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Cook spaghetti in large pot of boiling, salted water until tender but still firm, 8 to 9 minutes. Drain well, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water for the sauce.

Meanwhile, drain olives and chop shallots. Slice sun-dried tomatoes into thin strips. Pour 3 tablespoons of the sun-dried tomato oil into a large frying pan. Cook the shallots in the tomato oil over medium-high heat until soft, 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and toss to combine. Remove from heat.

Crumble feta cheese into tomato mixture. Add olives and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add spaghetti and reserved pasta water to pan and toss the ingredients over low heat until mixture is thoroughly combined and heated through. Serves 3 to 4.

- "The 5 in 10 Pasta and Noodle Cookbook," Nancie McDermott, Hearst, 1994.

PENNE WITH OLIVES, TOMATOES AND RED PEPPER

1 pound dry penne (quills) or medium rigatoni

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes

3 large garlic cloves, mashed to a paste

2 pounds fresh tomatoes (or canned Italian plum tomatoes or boxed tomato chunks)

1 tablespoon concentrated Italian tomato paste (or regular canned tomato paste)

1/2 pound imported black olives, pitted

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1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain. While pasta cooks, prepare sauce. Heat olive oil in large skillet and gently cook red-pepper flakes and garlic over low heat for 1 minute; do not let garlic brown. Add tomato and tomato paste and cook over medium-high heat for 13 to 15 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Add olives and salt and pepper to taste. Toss hot drained pasta with sauce, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.

- "Quick Cuisine," Ann Clark, Penguin, 1995.

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