Tomato and Olive Penne

This is one of our favorite pasta dishes. Amanda and Jed have a ton of cherry tomatoes right now so we thought we'd make it. I usually use regular olives instead of Kalamata olives (I'm the only one that likes the Kalamatas and regular olives are cheaper). I also omit the crushed red pepper because I'm cooking for kids. Try this recipe you'll love it!

Serves 4

Salt and pepper
1 pound penne, or other short pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic , thinly sliced
2/3 pound (2 cups) cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Directions

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook penne according to package instructions until al dente, about 13 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring, until just golden, about 1 minute. Add cherry tomatoes, oregano, crushed red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring, until tomato juices run, about 3 minutes.
Add penne, olives, parsley, and 1/4 cup Parmesan to the skillet and toss to combine. Serve with more cheese if desired.