Caution: Extremely delicious, briny pasta ahead

I wasn't sure if I should post this recipe, since I just read that 9/10 Americans eat too much salt.  But this pasta is too good, tangy without being overwhelming.  And readers, just go the rest of the day without any salt, ok?

This is a recipe from the Food Network (I think through my friend Jorj), that I have been making for years.  It calls for canned tomatoes, but I thought with all the beautiful little yellow and red tomatoes coming out at the farmers market, I would try it with the fresh things.  This is the perfect pasta for the summertime.  It's eaten cool, it has fresh yummy zucchini in it, and all the briny goodness of olives, capers and lemon juice.  And, it's even better the next day!

 

The vegetables marinate in the lemon juice so that the tomatoes get all soft and juicy and the zucchini has this really nice crunch.

A word of warning, the Mario Batali recipe this is based on is way too salty, he calls for 2 tablespoons of salt, and when I stick to that recipe, it's often a salty disaster.  So even if you make his version with the can of tomatoes (it is also delicious!), keep the salt to the 1/2 tablespoon I have listed below.

Summer Pasta Puttanesca
Adapted from a Mario Batali recipe
Makes 4 servings
Takes 30 minutes (plus a couple of hours of sitting)

2 young zucchinis, sliced thin
2 cups tiny tomatoes, halved

2 cloves garlic, smashed

2 Tbsp. capers, rinsed

10 kalamata olives, pitted and halved

Juice of 1/2 lemon
Leaves from 2 to 3 stems of basil

1/2 Tbsp. salt

Pepper

2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1/2 box of pasta
Red chili pepper flakes

Combine the zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, capers, olives, lemon juice, basil, salt, pepper and olive oil in a large bowl.  Let sit for 2 hours, or up to over night in the refrigerator.  Make pasta according to directions.  Drain and add to sauce with red chili flakes.  Enjoy!