Recipe for cooking baked tomato macaroni

Quick Meals- Salads and Pasta :: Pasta Recipes

Baked Tomato Macaroni

1 lb. lrg. elbow macaroni, mostaccioli, or penne
1 C. good extra virgin olive oil
9 to 12 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 C. chopped onion
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. crushed dried red chile pepper
1/4 C. dried basil, crumbled
3 Tbsp. dried oregano, crumbled
3 (1 lb. 12 oz.) cans tomatoes
Grated Parmesan cheese

Place dry pasta in a lrg. bowl. Pour all of the extra virgin olive oil over, toss well, and let sit for 1 hr..

Pour pasta into a strainer and drain off excess oil into a deep non-aluminum saucepan. Add the garlic, onion, sugar, chili peppers, basil, and oregano. Heat over moderate heat until the oil gets very hot, about 10 min. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

Crush the tomatoes with your hands or a food processor fitted with the metal blade and add them and their juice to the saucepan.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the macaroni in a lrg. non-aluminum roasting pan; pour room-temperature sauce over and stir well. Bake uncovered in the center of the oven for 40 min., turning over with a spatula every 10 min., to ensure that all the pasta cooks evenly.

Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Makes approximately 8 main dish servings.