Rigatoni with Tomatoes, Zucchini and Sausage

It's that time of year when you start to wonder what else you can do with zucchini! And all those cherry tomatoes in the garden! And if you're lucky and the July heat didn't dry them up then you've got some nice fresh basil. 

Ingredients:
1 lb rigatoni
1 cup reserved pasta water
3 tbsps olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 lb sausage (mild or hot Italian, bacon cheddar, veggie)
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsps tomato paste
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
2 tbsps balsamic vinegar
2 medium zucchini, diced
1 or 2 kale leaves, finely chopped
1 handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped or torn
some fresh thyme
parmesan to serve

In a large skillet heat the olive oil, toss in the sliced sausages and break them up a bit as they cook. As you can see I used a mixture of different flavoured sausages, but use your fave. Add the chopped onion and red pepper flakes and cook until the onion is soft and there is no pink left on the meat. Then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in the tomato paste, broth, balsamic vinegar and cherry tomatoes and cook about 10 minutes. You can puncture some of the tomatoes with a knife to help them release their juices.

While this is happening get the rigatoni cooking and reserve a cup of the pasta water.

Add the kale, basil and thyme along with the diced zucchini... 

and cook for 5 minutes.

When the pasta is cooked, reserve some water then drain. Toss pasta and sausage mixture together and just add a little of the water for the saucy consistency you like. You probably won't use the whole reserved cup.

Plate with some more fresh basil

Serves 6-8 (Yes it was THAT good !)