Few foods are more satisfying than a simple dish of pasta with a rich tomato sauce. This meal is as simple as it seems. Olive oil, butter, onion, garlic, crushed tomatoes, and a small amount of top-notch Italian penne are the only six ingredients (not including salt and chili flakes). Using the greatest ingredients available and cooking pasta to the ideal al dente is the key. Indeed, it is that simple. This spaghetti dish is ideal for rapid supper preparation if you’re on a tight schedule. Although it takes less than 30 minutes to prepare, the flavor and texture are quite fulfilling.
My love for this pasta goes back to my early years, when my mother would prepare it for me following an arduous and agitating workday. In this case, she never shied away from using garlic. I have been completely enamored with the aroma of freshly crushed garlic sizzling in hot oil ever since. She would use fresh tomatoes from our garden in the summer, and in the winter we would crack open a can of our own crushed tomatoes, which turned a vibrant crimson that resembled the communist flag of a nation that no longer exists. This pasta hasn’t been in my diet for over twenty years, so you can imagine the delight it brought me (hello memories). I’m hoping you’ll find it as enjoyable as I do. Spread happiness, and make it for someone you love.
Penne Pasta ingredients
- 2 cups penne pasta, about 8 oz
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small, chopped yellow onion, about 1/2 cup
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups canned, crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes or to taste
- salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Melt the butter in a medium pan with a little olive oil. Add the chopped onion and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes over medium heat, or until the onion is tender and transparent. Stir the garlic for a further fifteen seconds after adding it. After that, add the crushed tomatoes and boil, adding salt and chili flakes to taste. Allow it to simmer for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat some salted water in a medium pan to a boil. As directed on the package, cook the penne for 10 to 11 minutes, or until it’s al dente. Save the 1/4 cup of cooking liquid after draining the pasta.
Toss to coat it, then add the pasta and boiling liquid to the tomato sauce. Cook for one additional minute to allow the flavors to meld.
Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve immediately.
