- 1 lb. dried penne pasta - or other short pasta
- ¼ c. olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- ¼ c. sun dried tomato paste or chunky tomato sauce
- ½ c. fresh basil leaves, finely chopped plus more for garnishing
- 1 lb. fresh tomatoes - chopped if large, but if you have grape or cherry tomatoes, leave some whole
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta to the water and cook until al dente according to the package directions.
While the pasta cooks, warm the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes or until the garlic is golden. Add the tomato paste or sauce and use the back of a wooden spoon to “mash” it into the garlic. Sauté for an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until the tomato paste or sauce starts to darken in color.
Add the tomatoes and fresh basil to the sauté pan; sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until the tomatoes have softened and released their juices. Turn the heat to medium-low.
Drain, but do not rinse, the cooked pasta. Add the cooked penne to the pan with the tomatoes and use tongs or a spoon to mix well, until the sauce and oil coats every noodle. Add additional salt to taste, if necessary.
Serve warm, topped with fresh basil.
- Yields: 4-6 servings
- Preparation Time: 20 minutes