Mezze Penne Niçoise
serves 2

Mezze Penne NiçoiseIngredients

  • ½ box mezze penne (small penne rigate, recommended: Barilla)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
  • 2 shallots, thinly sliced into half moons
  • ½ small to medium zucchini, thinly sliced into half moons
  • 1 clove of garlic, chopped
  • 1 sprig of thyme
  • ½ teaspoon of chili flakes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
  • Salt and pepper
  • Pecorino Romano to taste

Procedure

  1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until it is al dente.
  2. Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a small sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-low heat, and add the shallots and zucchini and garlic and thyme and chili flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to soften for 5 minutes while the pasta cooks.
  3. To the vegetables, add the tomato paste, and sauté for one minute, incorporating it into the veggies. Add the fresh mint, and a few spoonfuls of pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta, and toss everything together. Top with extra coarsely cracked black pepper and some grated Pecorino cheese, and maybe a few chopped black olives from Nice.