The oven-dried tomatoes give this southern Italian pasta sauce a deep rich flavor. If you aren’t a fan of mint or oregano, try adding basil, parsley, cilantro, or thyme.

* 10 medium plum tomatoes or a large container of cherry tomatoes (about 2 pounds)
* Salt
* 10 large black olives., pitted and chopped
* 2 teaspoon small capers, drained
* 1 medium garlic clove, minced very fine
* 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes or to taste
* I tablespoon minced fresh oregano leaves
* l tablespoon minced fresh mint
* 1/3 C EVOO
* 1 pound penne

First Dry Tomatoes

1. Preheat your oven to 200°F
2. Rinse tomatoes and dry them thoroughly, then cut in half (for cherry tomatoes) or rounds (for plum tomatoes)
3. Spread the cut tomatoes on a large baking sheet, drizzle or spray with olive oil. Toss tomato pieces gently to coat them in the oil. Make sure they are evenly spaced and not crowded to help them dry evenly, or you can arrange them on a cooling rack set on the baking sheet for quicker and more even drying.
4. Cook for 2 to 3 hours, watching for the edges of the tomatoes to curl up and reduce in size by about 1/3.

Second cook pasta while preparing the sauce.

1. In a medium saucepan heat some EVOO, add the olives, garlic and capers until heated through, then add the dried tomatoes, herbs, red pepper and salt to taste.

Take drained, cooked penne and toss with sauce, serve immediately.

Add a fresh salad and you have a healthy, fresh and light, but filling dinner. My kids like to add some Parmesan and we always serve some crusty bread to soak up the juices.