Honeymoon Pasta

(recipe, Carrie Floyd)

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Introduction

On our way to Orcas Island for our honeymoon, my husband and I stopped in Seattle to shop for our week’s provisions. At Pike Place Market we bought bread and cheese, at the original Starbucks we bought coffee, and at the Fremont Farmers’ Market we stocked up on fresh vegetables, grapes, and Italian plums. This pasta was one of the dishes we created in our cabin’s tiny kitchen, a stone’s throw from the water.

Ingredients

Extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 yellow or red bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, sliced into half-moons
4 large ripe tomatoes, chopped, or 1 can (14.5 ounces) whole plum tomatoes, chopped, juice reserved
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
¼ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
Salt and black pepper
½ lb. dried pasta shells
Parmesan cheese

Steps

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta until al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, place a large sauté pan over medium heat and pour in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook until it begins to soften. Stir in the garlic and peppers and cook for several minutes, stirring frequently, then add the zucchini. Continue to cook until the zucchini takes on a nice golden hue, then add the chopped tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes begin to break down and the vegetables are tender.
If the sauce doesn’t seem saucy enough, add a spoonful of the cooking water from the pasta or some of the reserved juice from the canned tomatoes, if you used them. Stir in the basil and olives, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Drain pasta, divide among serving plates, and top with sauce and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.