Rigatoni

This is my revision of a dish my friend Marie made in New Jersey back in the mid-1970s. I think every LeRoux household now has a version. When you can make it with fresh tomatoes and basil, it’s by far, one of the best one dish meals you’ll ever eat.

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 each: green and red pepper; you can also add a yellow pepper

for more color

1 cup (at least) fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

1 pound mozzarella cheese, cubed (whole milk mozzarella, if you can afford the fat,

tastes much better than skimmed in this dish; try fresh mozzarella for an even better

flavor)

1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil

1 pound rigatoni noodles, cooked al dente

6-8 tomatoes (Fresh, garden tomatoes are the best, but if you have to buy them in the supermarket, plum tomatoes are an acceptable substitute. If you’re using plum tomatoes, you’ll need 6-8 of them)

Salt, fresh ground pepper

This is best when made in the morning to serve for dinner.

The ingredients need to be mixed together at room temp. for at least 3 hours.)

Sauté garlic in 1-2 T. olive oil over very low heat for a few minutes, till limp (You want to cook it long enough to lose the raw taste, but not enough to brown it.) While the garlic is cooking, cut the peppers into match stick size pieces. Next, cut tomatoes into quarters, then into pieces small enough to be forked with pasta and peppers. Wash basil; dry with paper towels, then tear into small pieces.

Mix garlic, tomatoes, peppers, basil and remaining olive oil in a large bowl, add salt sparingly and fresh ground pepper liberally, cover and let sit all day or at least 3 hours.

While water for pasta is boiling, cube the mozzarella cheese; add to tomato mixture. If mixture seems dry, add a bit more olive oil. When pasta is al dente, drain and then add to bowl (Or add tomato mixture to the drained pasta pot if it’s bigger) stir to mix ingredients, cheese will soften or slightly melt. Serves 6 hungry pasta lovers, when accompanied by bread and a salad.