Pasta With Marinated Tomatoes and Summer Herbs

• About 1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, halved or quartered if small, diced if large
• Salt
• 2 cans olive oil-packed tuna or 1 pound mozzarella cheese, diced (optional)
• 23 cup pitted oil-cured black olives, halved, or 1/2 cup pitted green olives, chopped, or 3 tablespoons capers (optional)
• 23 cup chopped fresh herbs (basil, parsley, mint, chives, cilantro, scallion tops, or a combination), more for garnish
• Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon (optional)
• About 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds short pasta, like fusilli, farfalle or penne
• Hot red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)

1. Up to 4 hours before serving, put tomatoes in a large bowl and sprinkle all over with salt.
2. Set aside for 30 minutes, then drain off liquid.
3. Add tuna and its oil, olives or capers, if using.
4. Add herbs and zest.
5. Add olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and stir gently, flaking tuna into pieces.
6. Cover and set aside at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
7. Cook pasta in plenty of boiling salted water.
8. Drain very well.
9. Combine tomatoes and pasta well, then taste and add more oil, salt and pepper to taste.
10. Add red pepper flakes if desired.
11. Sprinkle with pine nuts, if using, and chopped herbs.
12. Serve immediately.

tomatoes, salt, olive oil, black olives, fresh herbs, lemon, extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, short pasta, red pepper, nuts

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012714 (may not work)