Penne With Puttanesca

Dick Allgire, Health Reporter

POSTED: 1:52 pm HST August 16, 2005
UPDATED: 2:10 pm HST August 16, 2005

Note: Ruby and I made a smaller batch, which served 3 small portions. Just cut all measurements in half.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound young zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick, into 1/2 moons

2 cloves garlic, sliced paper thin

12 large leaves basil, torn in 1/2

1 pound can tomatoes, roughly chopped, retaining seeds and liquid

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons salt packed giant capers, rinsed of salt and drained

1/4 cup tiny black olives

1/2 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons kosher or sea salt

1 pound dried penne pasta

2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes

Freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions:

Combine the zucchini, garlic, basil, tomatoes, olive oil, capers, olives, lemon juice, salt in a large bowl. Let this stand for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring 6 quarts water to boil in spaghetti pot and add 2 tablespoons salt. Drop the penne in the pot and cook according to the package instructions until "al dente", about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander and add the pasta to the cool vegetables in the mixing bowl.