No-Meat Mostaccioli Dish Will Satisfy a Desire for Italian Food

“My husband is Italian, so it’s often an Italian dish on our table at night,” Sherry Baldino writes. “When we decided to cut down on meat in our diets I came up with this dish. It’s tasty and satisfies my Italian husband.” RED PEPPER AND MOSTACCIOLI

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 stalk celery, minced

1/2 onion, minced

1 large sweet red pepper, minced

2 (1-pound) cans Italian plum tomatoes

10 black olives, pitted and sliced

10 stuffed green olives, sliced

1 teaspoon crushed or ground oregano

1 teaspoon crushed basil

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon capers

1 teaspoon crushed dried chiles

Salt, pepper

1 (12-ounce) package mostaccioli

2 tablespoons butter

Grated Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in skillet and saute garlic, celery, onion and minced red pepper until tender. Place undrained tomatoes in food processor or blender and chop slightly. Do not puree.

Add tomatoes to skillet and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in black and green olives, oregano, basil, garlic salt, capers and chiles. Simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes longer or until desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook mostaccioli according to package directions, drain well and toss with butter. Toss noodles with sauce. Serve cheese and, if desired, additional dried chiles at table. Makes about 6 servings.

--SHERRY BALDINO

Fullerton

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