Olive Garden Con Zucchini Recipe
Serves/Makes: 4
Ingredients:
# **Sauce***
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup onion chopped
1 pound fresh mushrooms divided
1 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
3 cups tomatoes crushed
16 ounces canned tomatoes (diced & drained)
1 1/2 cup tomato puree
1 cup black olives (sliced & drained)
2 teaspoons drained Capers
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large zucchini - sliced lengthwise about 1/4" thick
2 tablespoons olive oil
Dried basil
Dried oregano
salt and black pepper
1 pound rigatoni (cooked)
grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Make the sauce first. Cut 1/2 half of the mushrooms into quarters and set them
aside. Place the other half of the mushrooms on a cutting board. Use a large
knife to mince the mushroom into very fine pieces.
Place the olive oil in a large saucepan and allow it to heat up over medium
heat. Add the onion and the very finely minced mushrooms. Stir and sauté the
vegetables, and let them cook 10 minutes or until onions are very soft. Stir
frequently as the vegetables cook.
After 10 minutes, add the garlic and the mushroom quarters to the saucepan. Stir
and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Stir constantly, to avoid sticking and
burning. Add any remaining sauce ingredients. Stir well. Reduce the heat and
then simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
While the sauce cooks, prepare the zucchini. Lay out a piece of waxed paper or
aluminum foil and arrange the sliced zucchini on top. Sprinkle the zucchini with
salt, pepper, basil and oregano.
Boil water in a large saucepan. Add a bit of olive oil to the water. While the
water boils, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Place the zucchini slices in one layer in the pan. Sauté about 3 minutes per
side just until tender. When they are finished cooking, remove the zucchini to a
platter and cover to keep warm while you sauté the remaining zucchini. Add more
olive oil as needed.
When the water is boiling, drop in the rigatoni pasta and cook until al dente,
or until is still firm, but tender. Drain the pasta, and place on a platter.
When the sauce is finished cooking, ladle in generously over the pasta. Top with
the cooked zucchini slices. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve the platter
family style.