Perfect Pasta with Tomato and Olives
Quick and easy pasta dish with robust flavors thanks to onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, and olives. This one is a must-make.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or put through a garlic press
- pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olive, halved
- 16 ounces Bucatini pasta (see note)
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
-
Bring a large pot of water to boil. While waiting for the water to come to a boil, start the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently at first and then occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 7 minutes.
-
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook for about one minute. Add the tomato paste. Cook for a minute. It will stick to the bottom of the skillet and darken. Totally normal. Add the crushed tomatoes and olives. Stir. If anything is sticking to the bottom of the skillet, scrape it with a wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat.
-
Cook the pasta in boiling water. Before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water.
-
Toss the pasta with the sauce until all the noodles are coated. If the sauce seems thick, add some of the reserved pasta water. Serve with lots of parmesan cheese.
-
This pasta keeps and reheats really well.
Recipe Notes
Pasta Note
This recipe makes a generous amount of pasta. Which is great, because it keeps and reheats really well. If you want less pasta, reduce the amount to 14 ounces and keep everything else the same. You'll have a higher sauce to pasta ratio, which isn't a bad thing.
Anchovies Variation
Add one can of anchovies, along with the oil, to the sauce right before tossing with the pasta.
Capers Variation
Add a tablespoon or so of capers to the sauce along with olives.