Just Another Pasta Dish- or Not?!

It's a work night. You just got home- exhausted. What is the first thing that comes to mind for a quick dish? Pasta. Although I could argue with you that there are many other -likely healthier- options for dinner that are quick, I'm gonna stick with the pasta theme. For me, plain pasta with either butter or red sauce gets a little boring time after time again. (Plus, it's no where near balanced!) So, I turned to my handy dandy vegetarian cook book for some ideas. Below is a quick dinner recipe with a slight twist to traditional pasta. And for those of you who aren't vegetarian, I think that adding pan fried or grilled chicken would be an excellent addition. And for those who are vegetarian I think a soy crumble or even a white fish would be a lovely addition as well. (I'll be sure to try that next time myself!) Enjoy!

Rigatoni with Garlic, Olives, and Raw Tomatoes!
1 pound rigatoni
3 tbsp olive oil
5 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 cup sliced Kalamata olives
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
2/3 cup coarsely chopped parsley
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (add more to taste if desired)
2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced
salt to taste (if desired)
parmesan cheese
ground black pepper

Cook the rigatoni in a pot of boiling water until al dente. At the same time, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan. Saute the chopped garlic for one or two minutes; don't let the edges brown. Add the olives, herbs, and red pepper flakes. Remove from heat. Mix in the tomatoes into the mixture; heat for a minute on high heat. Add salt if desired. Remove from heat again. Drain pasta and add to mixture. Add the rest of the olive oil. Serve at once. Add parmesan cheese and/or pepper as desired.

My variations and comments
As always, I used what I already had in my home. I used ziti. You could use any type of pasta you prefer. I also prefer my pasta well cooked; so I did not leave it al dente. I used canned black olives (as those are what I prefer) instead of kalamata olives. I did not add salt. Personally, I don't think you need additional salt because the olives and cheese have a high salt content. Plus, you get an amazing array of flavors from the garlic, olive oil, and herbs/spices. Salt is just an unnecessary addition in my opinion. Also, I halved this recipe (as the entire recipe is too large for one or two people.) Next time around I will use 2 tbsp oil, 1-1.5 pounds tomatoes, and 4-5 cloves of garlic (instead of 1-1.5 tbsp oil, .5-.75 pound tomatoes and 3 cloves of garlic.) I actually used 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes and it gave the dish that kick I was looking for. I suspect that if I followed the full recipe I'd have to use 1 tsp of the dried red pepper flakes. Either way, experiment with the amount of vegetables, spices, herbs and additional flavors as it suits your taste! And to make sure this remains a quick dish, be sure to buy sliced olives and pre-chopped tomatoes. You could also add a small side salad with 2 tbsp reduced fat dressing to get that perfect dinner balance of starch, protein, and vegetables!