Recipe: Spaghetti with Spicy Tomato Sauce

Most pasta dishes have me diving in with no turning back. They can be the ultimate warm comfort dish for dinner. I think the marinara sauce is the reason I find myself completely absorbed with a pasta dish. I love marinara sauce – the fresh tangy-sweet and savory tomato sauce that I want to slurp up until my bowl is licked clean.

Here’s a recipe for Spaghetti with Spicy Tomato Sauce that’s very easy with simple ingredients. It resembles something my sisters and I used to make a long time ago. It has a little kick from the olives and red pepper flakes. I recommend topping it off with some fresh pieces of basil and a side of buttered warm baguette slices. I also like to add oregano in the marinara sauce while it’s cooking. This is a light dish that completely fulfills all my senses.

Recipe Adapted From: Shelley Wiseman, Gourmet.com
Yield: 4 Servings
Time: Total 40 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup brine-cured black olives, pitted and cut lengthwise into slivers
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 (14- to 15-oz) cans stewed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 lb spaghetti
Accompaniment: grated parmigiano reggiano

1. Cook olives, garlic, and red pepper flakes in oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and salt and simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking up large pieces of tomato, until sauce is slightly thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. While sauce is simmering, cook spaghetti in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water (see Tips until al dente.

3. Drain spaghetti in a colander and add to sauce. Cook, tossing, over moderately low heat until pasta is coated, 30 seconds to 1 minute.

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