Listen & Cook: Olivia’s Easy Mediterranean Pasta

I’ll be honest with you: I am embarrassingly bad at feeding myself. I’m very easily distracted, so by the time I remember I need to eat, I’m usually too starving or too tired to do anything but shovel a few frozen peas and lunch meat into my mouth and move on. I practically invented girl dinner (and lunch, and breakfast).

Motivating myself to do anything in the kitchen besides using the microwave can be a herculean feat, and that’s where audiobooks come in. It’s a  classic doing-something-you-like (engaging in a story) to offset-doing-something-you-don’t (touching a pan) situation, and it’s working wonders.

Today, I’d like to share one of my super easy recipes with you, along with the audiobook that got me to make it this week: West Heart Kill – a fascinatingly meta mystery novel reminiscent of Knives Out. We follow our everyman detective as he immerses himself in the glamorous world of West Heart Hunting Club. But when tragedy strikes, will he keep his senses? Or will he too fall prey to the deadly secrets of the ultra wealthy? The recipe (without my asides below) can be found here.

Ingredients:  

• Pasta 

• Feta Cheese  
• A Remote Hunting Club With Exclusive Membership 
• Kalamata Olives (as many as your heart desires)  
• A Jaded Detective With a Secret  
• Handful of Cherry Tomatoes, or half a package  
• Half a bag of Spinach    
• A cast of Horrible Rich People  
• Olive Oil to garnish 
• A Murder 

Step One: Prep 

To plan the perfect murder, so many preparations need to be made. The pasta must be boiled, the suspects carefully monitored, and the victim followed in secret. You may need to get your hands dirty, so watch out for blood spatters as you chop the tomatoes in half, and the olives into rings. 

Step Two: The Tension (and the heat) Rises 

To gain your victim’s trust, you may have to soften them up a bit. If they aren’t cooperating, you might have to turn up the heat. Toss the olives and tomatoes into a pan with a dash of olive oil on low heat, and move them around until they’re nice and pliant – you never know what you might learn. 

Step Three: Time to Get Steamy 

In such a remote location, it’s hard not to get distracted by all the beautiful people around…even if they happen to be married. If you can’t resist, throw half a bag of spinach in the pan with a splash of water and cover with a lid until they wilt. No one will judge you. Unless they happen to be right next door!  

Step four: A Meal to Die For  

The stage is set, and your plan is in motion. Throw all of the ingredients together in a bowl and garnish with olive oil and feta. Revenge may be a dish best served cold, but you like it steaming hot. Just be careful not to get burned…