Ziti with fresh tomato-olive sauce
8 servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | ounces | Ziti or mostaccioli pasta |
| 2 | tablespoons | Olive oil |
| 2 | tablespoons | Balsamic vinegar |
| 4 | Cloves garlic, minced | |
| ⅓ | cup | Thinly sliced fresh basil |
| ½ | cup | Pitted kalamata olives -OR- |
| 4 | ounces | Cn sliced & pitted black Olives, drained |
| 1 | teaspoon | Drained capers, optional |
| ½ | teaspoon | Crushed red pepper flakes |
| 4 | larges | Tomatoes, halved crosswise |
| 4 | ounces | Goat cheese crumbled or |
| ¼ | cup | Parmesan cheese |
| Salt & pepper to taste | ||
Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile in a large serving bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, garlic, basil, olives, capers and red pepper flakes.
Place a strainer over the serving bowl; squeeze the juice from the tomato halves into strainer. (Push on seeds with back of a wooden spoon to extract tomato liquid.) Discard the seeds. Coarsely chop tomatoes and add to olive mixture; toss well.
Drain pasta and add to the bowl; toss well. Sprinkle with cheese if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste.