| Ingredients: |
| 1½ cups Raw Penne Pasta or Fusilli Pasta |
| 1 teaspoon Oil, optional |
| Salt to taste |
| Tomato Pasta Sauce (made with approx. 6 large tomatoes) |
| Parmesan Cheese or Feta Cheese or Mozzarella Cheese, for garnishing (optional) |
Directions:
- Boil raw pasta according to the direction given on the package or follow the directions given below.
Boil approx. 6 cups water in a large pot/pan over medium flame. Add raw pasta, 1 teaspoon oil and salt (approx. 1 teaspoon).
Stir well and let them boil until pastas are al dente (cooked but not very soft). It will take around 10-12 minutes. Stir in between occasionally to prevent sticking.
To check whether pasta are cooked or not, bite one pasta. If it is too hard to bite or is white in the center, it is raw and requires cooking little longer. If it is slightly firm to bite, then it means it is cooked to al dente. If you want your pasta to be very soft, cook them for 2-3 minutes more once they are al dente.
Drain the water by carefully transferring the cooked pasta to large strainer (or a colander).
While pasta is cooking, you can make the red pasta sauce by following this red tomato pasta sauce recipe. Add sauce in a pan and heat it over medium flame.
Add cooked pasta and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the flame. Tomato Pasta is now ready. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese or feta cheese or grated mozzarella cheese.
Tips and Variations:
- Don’t reduce the water quantity to cook pasta. Water prevents pasta from turning sticky.
- Salt added in water enhances the flavor of pasta. Don’t forget to add it while cooking the pasta.
- Time required to cook pasta depends on the size and type of pasta. Time given above is just of guidance. Use technique given in Step-4 above to check whether pasta is cooked properly or not.
- Add sautéed onion and capsicum in pasta in Step-7 for variation.
Taste: Mild tangy with soft texture
