Pasta in red tomato sauce

Pasta that we eat in India is to a great deal Indianised just like the Chinese cuisine we eat is more of Indo Chinese. So even with the pasta dish I have adapted it to my taste. There are so many varieties of pasta. You can sue any one that suits you as this sauce goes well with all kinds of pasta. I have used Penne Rigate, a tubular kind which is well suited to using with red sauce. The tube like structure hold the sauce inside and you get a mouth full of flavour with each bite.


Ingredients

For the red sauce
2 onions, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
5 tomatoes, blanched and chopped
3 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp red chilli flakes
3 tbsp fresh cream
1 tsp dried oregano

Heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and saute. Add the chopped onions. Cook till the onions become soft. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, sugar, salt, pepper and chilli flakes. Cover and cook till the whole thing comes together. The tomato should be cooked and mushy. Take off the heat and cool a little. Take about ¾ of the mix and puree it well in the mixer. Now add it to the rest of the mix. Put it back on the gas again. Check the seasoning. Now add the cream and oregano. Switch off the flame.


For the pasta
2 cups of Penne Rigate
5 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oil

Bring the 5 cups of water to a boil along with salt and oil. Add the pasta and boil till it is well done. Drain the hot water and wash the pasta is cold water. Keep aside.


Assembling the pasta
1 tbsp oil
½ cup grated cheese
2 sausages, chopped (optional)
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp fried garlic

Heat the oil. Add the red sauce and once it starts simmering add the pasta and sausages. Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Check the seasoning. Switch off the flame. Add the cheese and mix so that it melts. Sprinkle oregano and fried garlic on top.