Pasta in spicy tomato sauce

Guus and I usually keep a supply of canned tomatoes, pasta and dried chili. So when we want something quick, we prepare this simple pasta in tomato sauce. Chili gives this dish a  nice kick! (Guus likes to add chili. He likes spicy food more than me! and we Filipinos are used to sweet tomato sauce for pasta). Lastly, it's important to use good-quality canned tomatoes (they do make a big difference).

Want to have some nice pasta dish? Try this recipe.

Serves 2
Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

200 grams pasta (we used Penne, but you can use other types of pasta)
400 grams (425 ml) canned tomatoes (we used finely chopped tomatoes with basil)
2 liters of water
3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 dried red chili's (a chili is about 1/2 inch long)
1 tsp of salt (for cooking the pasta)
salt and pepper to taste

Optional toppings:
grated cheese
fresh basil leaves
50 grams fresh cherry tomatoes

Preparation

1. Bring 2 liters of water to a boil. Once it is boiling, add a tsp of salt and cook the pasta according to package instruction (until al dente). Drain and reserve 1 cup of  the cooking water.

2. While cooking the spaghetti, heat a tbsp of olive oil. Saute the dried chili and garlic until the garlic's aroma is released (do not brown the garlic).  Add the canned tomatoes and let it simmer until some liquid evaporates (around 5 minutes). Turn the heat off and add the cooked pasta. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

3. Remove from heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and basil. Mix well. If your pasta is too dry, add a little bit of the cooking water.  Serve warm and top with grated cheese if desired.

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