Tomato-Orange Pasta Toss

Here is another recipe from my "Yes, this combination is working!" treasure box. I am sure you have heard about tomatoes and oranges going very nicely together. But ... have you actually ever tried it? This pasta sauce is a real treat and can be devoured in less that half an hour.

Ingredients (to serve 3 to 4):

1 pound uncooked pasta
1 ounce sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil (about 12)
1/2 cup boiling water
3 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
zest of 1 orange, finely chopped
1 cup orange juice
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
salt, black pepper
optional:
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
8 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 -inch cubes

Preparation (about 25 minutes):

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well; place in a large bowl.

2. Combine sun-dried tomatoes and boiling water in a small bowl; let stand 10 minutes. Drain; chop coarsely.

3. Place water and oil in a saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add shallots and orange zest. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add juice and crushed tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Add sun-dried tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes. Season to taste with a pinch of salt and pepper.

6. Pour juice mixture over pasta; toss well. Add parsley and cheese, if desired; toss again.

Enjoy! Oh, and let me know if you liked this combination! Somewhere in that treasure box of mine, I have a recipe for an Orange-Tomato-Soup... Hmmm...