Ziti With Fresh Tomato-olive Sauce

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02

Title: ZITI WITH FRESH TOMATO-OLIVE SAUCE
Categories: Veggie, Pasta
Yield: 8 servings

8 oz Ziti or mostaccioli pasta
2 tb Olive oil
2 tb Balsamic vinegar
4 Cloves garlic, minced
1/3 c Thinly sliced fresh basil
1/2 c Pitted kalamata olives -OR-
4 oz Cn sliced & pitted black
-Olives, drained
1 ts Drained capers, optional
1/2 ts Crushed red pepper flakes
4 lg Tomatoes, halved crosswise
4 oz Goat cheese crumbled or
1/4 c Parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper to taste

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.

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