Family-Friendly
15-Minute Tomato Penne Rigate
The fastest honest pasta dinner you can put on the table. While the kettle boils, you make the sauce. By the time the penne is al dente, dinner is done. Designed for the Tuesday night where you got home five minutes ago.
Ingredients
- 400gCibo di Italia Penne Rigate
- 1piecetin chopped tomatoes — 400g, best quality you can find
- 3tbsptomato paste
- 4tbspolive oil
- 3piecesgarlic cloves — finely grated
- 1tspdried oregano
- 1/2tspsugar
- 1piecesmall handful fresh basil — optional, torn
- to tastesalt and black pepper
- 30gparmesan — optional, grated to serve
Method
Step 1.Fill a kettle and boil it. Pour into a large pot, add 2 tbsp salt, and bring back to a hard boil.
2 min
Step 2.Drop the penne in. Set a timer for 9 minutes — taste at 8 for al dente.
9 min
Step 3.While it cooks, warm the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and oregano; cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
1 min
Step 4.Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 90 seconds until it darkens — this is what gives the sauce body.
2 min
Step 5.Pour in the chopped tomatoes, half-fill the tin with hot pasta water, and add that too. Stir in sugar and a generous pinch of salt.
1 min
Step 6.Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes, stirring now and then. It should thicken into a glossy, spoonable sauce.
5 min
Step 7.Scoop out a mug of pasta water. Drain the penne and tip it into the sauce pan.
1 min
Step 8.Toss for 1 minute, splashing in pasta water if needed. Tear in basil, serve in bowls, and grate over parmesan if you like.
1 min
Goes well with
Sparkling water with orange wedges and a sprig of rosemary.
A simple green salad — lettuce, cucumber, olive oil, lemon, salt.
Dark chocolate squares with a few toasted almonds.
The pasta we used
Cibo di Italia Penne Rigate
500g · Cooks in 9–11 minutes · Serves ~5
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