Summer Spaghetti

Chop tomatoes coarsely. Finely chop onion and olives. Mince the garlic. Combine tomatoes, onion, olives, garlic, parsley, basil, capers, hot pepper, and oregano. Drizzle vinegar over tomato mixture, then pour over oil. Mix well and let sit at least 6 hours covered.

Just before serving, cook the spaghetti until al dente. Drain and mix immediately with the sauce. Serve at once, offering cheese if desired.

Variations: This pasta is also great topped with fresh grilled tuna. For 4 people, use a tuna steak of about 1 1/2 pounds in size. Lightly grill so that some pink remains, and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes. Top the prepared pasta dishes with the tuna, and sprinkle on some crumbled feta cheese instead of the grated Pecorino or Parmesan.

Note: This sauce benefits from sitting for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld, so you can even make it before you leave for work in the morning. Leftovers are fought over in my house, and are enjoyed either at room temperature as a salad, or warmed.

This sauce can be used as a dressing for pasta salad, as a topping for grilled fish or chicken, or even as a bruschetta topping. The only absolute requirement for this dish is to use very ripe, flavorful tomatoes. Otherwise, you can increase the amount of onions or garlic if desired, add extra hot chile, or try out different fresh herbs for a change.