Vegetarian Ziti with Tomato and Olive Sauce

Recipe tried, photographed, and eaten by Cynthia McCoy.



Details: This is an absolutely delicious, remarkably quick bombshell of a dish.  Impress blind dates and mob bosses alike with its high-class Italian façade. The goat cheese adds a wonderful false sense of superiority. Ghetto tip: you may buy olives and garlic separately, but I find it cheaper to buy garlic-stuffed olives. It will also save you time in preparation by chopping both at once, not to mention they taste rad. All ingredients can be found at any ol’ grocery store.

Cost: About $10-$15

Servings: 4

Time: 25 minutes

Difficulty: A breeze. Only chopping, mixing and boiling are involved.

Ingredients:

8 oz. ziti or mostaccioli pasta (even penne will work)

1/2 cup olives, drained (black or green – your call)

1/3 cup thinly sliced basil (fresh is best, boxed is next, chopped and canned are gross)

1-2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2-4 cloves garlic

4 medium to large tomatoes, coarsely chopped

Crumbled goat cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional capers or red pepper flakes for flourish

Directions:

Cook pasta to package directions. While the pasta’s doing its thing, grab a large mixing bowl. Combine olives, basil, oil, vinegar, garlic, and any flourishes. Add tomatoes to the mixture and toss well. When the pasta has completed its metamorphosis from dry to cooked, drain and add to the mixture; toss well. Add goat cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. That’s it. Who knew good Italian food could be so easy?

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Altered from a recipe in Low Fat and Fast: 150 Easy Meatless Recipes by the Vegetarian Times.