Pasta and Feta Cheese Casserole

Though I often make meals that vegans would find friendly, this vegetarian cannot resist the goodness of cheese. If you like olives and Feta cheese, then you'll want to try this recipe that I found years ago in a milk calendar. I've adapted the recipe to my taste and so increased the amount of feta cheese and olives, and included a few green chilies to add a little heat.

For an especially cheesy meal, serve with Cheddar Dijon biscuits.

Pasta and Feta Cheese Casserole

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on May 16, 2007 A rich, robust and wonderfully flavorful pasta casserole loaded with cheese and olives and seasoned with herbs — an extraordinary dinner for special guests, and one of my all-time classics Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking time: 45 minutes Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/2 lb (225 g) shell pasta 1/4 cup unsalted butter 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced 2 to 3 fresh green chilies or jalapeños 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 2 cups milk 1/2 cup yogurt 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper 12 oz (340 g) feta cheese, crumbled 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese 3/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano Instructions: Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water to al dente according to package instructions. Rinse, drain, and set aside. Heat the butter in a large saucepan. When it is hot, add the onion, garlic and peppers. Cook and stir for a few minutes. Next, add the flour and cook for a few minutes more. Add the milk and yogurt, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce, along with the feta cheese, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the olives, fresh herbs and oregano. Stir to combine and transfer the mixture to a 9 × 13 baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan over the top of the casserole. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the casserole is hot and the top is browned and bubbling. Makes 6 to 8 servings