Baked Ziti With Zucchini, Chickpeas & Olives

8oz ziti, rigatoni or penne pasta
1/2 lb zucchini, coarsely chopped
1 15oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic & oregano, juices included
1 cup tomato puree
1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives, divided
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs

1) Preheat oven to 350F. Coat 11x17 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
2) Cook ziti according to package directions for al dente in large pot of boiling salted water. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again. Return ziti to pot and set aside.
3) Meanwhile, combine zucchini, chickpeas, tomatoes and juices, tomato puree, 2 Tbs olives, oil, tomato paste, and garlic in large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 5 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken, stirring occasionally. Stir zucchini mixture into ziti and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
4) Transfer ziti mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and remaining 2 Tbs olives. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until pasta is heated through and breadcrumbs are golden brown.

Review: I tweaked this recipe. I didn’t like that the recipe didn’t have any cheese and breadcrumbs aren’t in the low-carb diet. So, I scrapped the olive/breadcrumb topping. Instead, I tossed all the olives into the dish and topped it with shredded mozzarella. I then baked it for 25 minutes. It was amazing. This dish has a nice tang to it, due to the olives, but has the tomatoes and zucchini to give it a more filling veggie feel to it. I loved this recipe and will definitely make it again. Yum.