The Romans, Greeks and other Ancient Mediterraneans certainly got a head start on the rest of the world in terms of empire building and it’s hard not to wonder if that’s not somehow linked to their cuisine. Mediterranean staples like olives, sundried tomatoes anchovies and capers are all loaded with flavour, they’re super-nutritious and keep almost indefinitely making them perfect for just about any conquest you have in mind. Here’s one way to use them:

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Serves: Two

Weight: 0.95kg

Volume:  1.5l

Kilojoules:  4506

Cost: $7.50

Time: 20 minutes

Fuel: 125ml of white spirit or 50g of gas.*

*Based on an MSR Whisperlite or Primus Classic operating at sea level.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil.

1 cup olives – finely chopped

1 cup sundried tomatoes – finely chopped

1 tbsp capers – finely chopped

6 anchovy filets

1 clove garlic – crushed

250g pasta

Salt, pepper

½ cup grated parmesan cheese*

A handful of finely chopped parsley*

*You might like to omit these for longer trips

Method

Cook the pasta as per the instructions, cover and set aside. Bring a pan up to temperature, add the olive oil, garlic and anchovies. Fry until the anchovies break up. Add the olives, sundried tomatoes and capers and fry lightly adding salt and pepper to taste. Add the pasta back in and combine all the ingredients thoroughly. Serve with a generous sprinkle of parmesan and parsley.