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Mediterranean Pasta

Mediterranean Pasta reads sweetness 6.3, citrus 5.2 and umami 4.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Mediterranean main, about 35 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 5.4 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 7.1 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.6 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.9 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.4 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sweetness 6.3 · Citrus 5.2 · Umami 4.8 · Sourness 4.8 · Herbaceous 4.8 · Richness 4.7 · Allium 3.7 · Salinity 3.6 · Fruity 2.8 · Earthy 2.6 · Nutty 2.3 · Funk & Ferment 2.1 · Bitterness 1.6 · Floral 1.4 · Warm Spice 1.1 · Heat 0.6

What's in it (11)

• 1 lb of cooked tubular pasta (e.g., rigatoni)
• 3 medium narrow sweet potatoes, baked 'al dente'
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 colorful sweet pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced (not crushed!)
• 2 T fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 T fresh chives, chopped
• 1 lime, juiced
• fresh ground black pepper
• Parmesan cheese, finely shredded

Time & effort: about 35 min (20 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 163.6 kcal, 7.2 g protein, 2.6 g fat, 29 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (4 steps)

1. Wash and bake sweet potatoes in 400 F oven 30-35 minutes until cooked firm or 'al dente'. Do not let potatoes become soft. Ideal firmness is like a ready-to-eat avocado. When done, remove from oven and slice lengthwise. Place skin side up in large heavy skillet that is preheated with measured amount of olive oil. Cook over medium heat ~10 minutes or until golden brown, then flip each piece. You may wish to remove skin prior to flipping if your meal guests prefer not to eat the skin. After another 10 minutes, remove from pan to drain on absorbent towel.
2. Near the end of baking time for the potatoes, boil pasta per manufacturers instructions and drain, keeping warm.
3. In same skillet, add chopped sweet pepper, frozen peas, garlic, chives, and parsley. Add more olive oil as needed and cook over medium heat until peas are cooked through. Add lime juice and cook another 30 seconds.
4. Serve the vegetable mixture over pasta dished into pasta/soup bowl. Slice the sweet potato halves into one inch chunks and add to pasta dish. Fresh ground pepper and grated Parmesan cheese are added to taste.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Kubba Hamuth (Sour Beetroot Soup with Bulgur Dumplings) — Kurdish
• Dolmeh Barg Mo (Stuffed Grape Leaves) — Persian
• Baked Sweet Potatoes with Black Bean Salsa and Lime Crema — Tex-Mex · Southwestern
• Roasted Vegetable and Halloumi Sheet Pan — Greek
• Crispy Carnitas Tacos with Pickled Red Onion — Mexican

Keep reading: what sweetness, citrus, umami mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.