Spaghetti with Olives and Tomato Sauce Recipe

Spaghetti with Olives and Tomato Sauce

• Difficulty: Easy
• Servings: 4
• Nutritional Info Per Serving: Calories 1172, Total Fat 64 g, Saturated Fat 17 g, Carbohydrates 127 g, Dietary Fiber 15 g, Sugar 25 g, Protein 30 g, Cholesterol 43 mg, Sodium 1703 mg
• Total Time: 2 hr 5 min
• Preparation: 25 min
• Cooking: 1 hr 40 min

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried spaghetti
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/4 cups mixed olives, pitted and halved
• 1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes, plus extra to taste
• 3 cups tomato sauce (see recipe below)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded basil leaves

Simple Tomato Sauce Ingredients

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large pot, bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the spaghetti, stirring continuously during the first minute to prevent sticking. Cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large saut pan over medium-high heat until nearly smoking. Add olives and red pepper flakes, sauting for 3 minutes. Lower the heat and carefully pour in the tomato sauce. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Toss the pasta into the sauce to coat it thoroughly, adding some reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed. Serve garnished with grated Parmesan and shredded basil.

Simple Tomato Sauce Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large casserole over medium-high heat. Saut onion and garlic until they become soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrot, season with salt and pepper, and cook until all vegetables soften, another 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Add crushed tomatoes and bay leaves, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer uncovered for about 1 hour or until the sauce thickens. Remove bay leaves and adjust seasoning. If the sauce tastes too acidic, stir in unsalted butter one tablespoon at a time to balance flavors.
3. Puree half the tomato sauce in a food processor until smooth; repeat with the remaining sauce.
4. If not using all the sauce immediately, let it cool and store 1 to 2 cup portions in freezer-safe bags. The sauce can be frozen for up to 6 months.