Grilled Vegetable Pasta (gluten free)

This dish can be eaten warm or taken on a picnic. I love the smoky flavor from the grilled vegetables.  If you don’t have an outdoor grill you can
grill your vegetables in a cast iron grill on the stove. The bitter radicchio goes great with the sweet tomatoes.

1/2 pound gluten-free brown rice penne pasta
2 medium zucchini, sliced horizontally
2 medium yellow squash horizontally
1 cup grape tomatoes
4 scallions
2 medium head radicchio cut into 1” thick wedges trying to keep the leaves connected to the core as much as possible, this will make it easier to grill.
2 medium tomatoes cut in half
Olive oil for brushing
4 Tb extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic minced
½ cup pitted kalamata olives chopped
½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tb balsamic vinegar
Celtic sea salt
½ cup fresh basil leaves cut into ribbons

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook the penne until it is firm to the bite – al dente. If the package says 6-8 minutes cook only 6 minutes. Do not overcook it.
Drain, rinse in cool water, and drain well. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water.
In the meantime, heat the grill or grill pan to medium heat.

Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper
Grill the zucchini, yellow squash, radicchio, tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and scallions until tender but still firm about 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and set aside to cool.

Cut the large tomatoes into chunks.
In a large sauté pan heat olive oil on low add garlic, olives and red pepper flakes.  Once the garlic has softened add the tomato chunks, sauté 3 minutes so they release some of their juices. Season with Celtic salt.
Add the pasta. Stir to coat the pasta with the garlic tomato sauce. Turn off the heat.
Once the veggies are cool enough to handle, slice the zucchini into half moons. Slice the radicchio into 1” chunks. Slice the scallions into 1 inch pieces.
Add the vegetables to the pan with the garlic tomato mix.  Add the reserved cooking water.
Turn on the heat to medium to heat through 2 minutes.
Stir in the basil.
Season with balsamic vinegar
Serve.