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Makes
4 generous prima piatti servings
Author Notes
Who doesn't love pasta? No one I know. I consider this classic dish to be the quintessential comfort food of any Italian, or in my case, Italian-American. The sauce is wonderfully simple both in ingredients and preparation. Fresh basil and high quality pasta are the secrets to obtaining the most satisfying and flavorful pasta dish. It speaks to the simplicity of delicious Italian cuisine. —an everyday cook
Ingredients
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1/4 cup
olive oil
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3
cloves minced garlic
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1/2 cup
chopped onion, 1/2 " dice
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1/2 cup
chopped sweet red pepper, 1/2" dice
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1/2 cup
chopped carrot, 1/2" dice
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28 ounces
can crushed tomatoes
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1/2 cup
water
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1 teaspoon
salt
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1/2 teaspoon
black pepper
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3 tablespoons
chopped parsley
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3 tablespoons
chopped fresh basil (chiffonade)
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1 pound
high quality penne pasta (or any shape will do)
Directions
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Add oil to a hot 5 qt. pot. Saute the onion, red pepper, and carrot about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute another minute or two making sure not to burn the garlic as this makes the sauce bitter.
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Once veggies are soft, add the crushed tomatoes and water. Add additional water if mixture is to thick (the quality of the canned tomatoes will dictate how much water needs to be added).
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Season with salt and pepper. Cook sauce for a good 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to blend and the sauce to achieve the right consistency (sauce needs to be thick enough to coat pasta).
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Add the fresh basil and let cook another minute or two.
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While sauce is cooking prepare pasta according to package instructions. Always add salt after water comes to a boil, don't overcook and do not wash pasta after draining.
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