Other than the Bruschetta, Caprese Salad, Salsas etc. fresh tomatoes and pasta make a wonderful marriage. Many recipes come to mind but here's one.....enjoy!
Pasta With Zucchini And Fresh Tomatoes(Vegetarian; not gluten-free; vegan if you omit the cheese)
2 medium zucchini, large dice
1 onion, medium dice
1 small sprig rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
4 tablespoons canola oil (or other high heat vegetable oil)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
2/3 cup pitted black olives (Kalamata for example), halved
1 lb. moderate size shaped pasta ie: ziti/rotini
1 large or 2 medium heirloom tomatoes, medium dice
handful of fresh basil
handful of fresh parsley
black pepper
pecorino romano or parmigiano reggiano - 1 cup grated plus thin slices for garnish
Cut zucchini into slices.
In a large skillet over medium high heat, saute the zucchini, onion, and rosemary in the canola oil, tossing occasionally. Add 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt now.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil.
When the zucchini is cooked, move it to one side of the skillet and add the olive oil in the clear space. Put the garlic and chili flakes in the olive oil and stir-fry for a minute, then mix them in with zucchini along with the olives.
Boil the pasta until just shy of al dente. Reserve one cup of the pasta water and then drain the pasta.
Return the pasta to the pot over medium heat, and add the zucchini mixture, scraping the pan to get all the good flavor. Toss well and add a bit of the pasta water to get a slight sauciness going. Taste and adjust the salt as needed.
Turn off the heat and mix in the tomatoes.
To serve, portion in to individual bowls and top with hand-torn basil and parsley, a grind of black pepper, and thin slices of the cheese (you can do that at the last moment with a vegetable peeler).
You could add some diced fresh mozzarella at the end. Yum~ <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />
<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> Contessa
