Yogurt, kalamata olives give pasta Greek flavor

Happily, pasta sauces and pasta combination dishes offer us an endless round of mouthwatering variety. Many are very quickly prepared, too, as is the case with the following pasta salad.

The salad’s Greek flavor, creamy texture and Mediterranean taste come from yogurt, fresh mint and kalamata olives — nothing fancy, but each makes its mark in the final fresh, tangy combination.

The recipe is from “Everyday Food,” the summer-oriented June issue of the handy little magazine from the kitchens of Martha Stewart Living.

If your salad seems a little dry, the editors say, stir in a little more yogurt just before serving. They point out, too, that you can replace the shrimp with 12 ounces of thinly sliced boneless, skinless chicken breast.

Greek-Style Pasta with Shrimp

From the June “Everyday Food,” from Martha Stewart Living

Coarse salt and ground pepper to taste

1 pound gemelli or other short pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/4 cups plain, low-fat yogurt

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package directions; drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add half the shrimp; season with salt and pepper. Cook until just opaque throughout, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with remaining shrimp.

Add garlic and 2 tablespoons water to skillet, and cook until garlic is tender, scraping up any bits from bottom of pan, about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl with shrimp.

Add pasta, yogurt, lemon juice, mint and olives; season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.

Yield: 6 servings

Nutrition information per serving: 436 calories, 9.5 grams fat, (20 percent fat calories), 25.5 grams protein, 62 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams fiber.