Fresh Tomato Pasta with Lemon and Olives

4.84 from 18 votes

Fresh tomato pasta with lemon and olives is a beautiful blend of sweet summer-ripe tomatoes, lemon-basil zing, salty olives, capers and Parmesan.

Prep Time12 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time22 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mediterranean, Vegetarian

Servings (change as needed):

Author: Cheryl

Ingredients

1 1/4 pound fresh tomatoes, any colour and shape (about 2 large tomatoes)
1/4 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped
1/3 cup kalamata olives, roughly chopped
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (or shaved if preferred)
1/2 pound baby rigatoni (250 gm, about 2 cups)

Marinade

1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoon chopped capers, rinsed (or 1 teaspoon anchovy paste)
1.5 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/8 teaspoon chili flakes
1/8 teaspoon salt or to taste

Instructions

PREPARE TOMATO-OLIVE MIXTURE: Cut tomatoes into chunks and place in a medium bowl. Add olives, basil, lemon zest and cheese.
MAKE MARINADE: In a small bowl, whisk vigorously olive oil, lemon juice, capers, garlic, chili flakes and salt. Add this marinade to the tomato-olive mixture. Set the mixture aside to marinate at room temperature while you boil the pasta.
MAKE PASTA: Put pasta into well-salted boiling water and cook as per package directions until al dente (with a slight firmness). Drain (do not rinse), reserving 1/4 cup of pasta liquid if needed.
ASSEMBLE AND SERVE: Put pasta and tomato mixture into the pot (not over the heat). Mix together, adding some of the pasta liquid - if needed - for a smooth consistency. Drizzle with a touch of olive oil. Adjust seasonings. Pour into a large shallow bowl and serve with a green salad and some crusty bread or slices of cured meats if desired.

Notes

Make Ahead: To make this pasta ahead, prepare the tomato-olive mixture and marinade a couple of hours ahead, then just before serving, make the pasta and tossed it all together.