From My Kitchen: Pasta Arrabbiata

Here’s another great recipe for meatless Monday! Ever since the days of the Oprah Winfrey show, who initiated Meatless Monday, I have tried to keep this tradition going in my household. There are so many delicious dishes out there that can keep you and your family satisfied and full without meat at least once a week. I have always loved Arrabbiata sauce, especially with some fresh mozzarella cheese on top. It has a little kick to it (or a big one if you so choose), it’s packed with flavor, and it is 100% simple to make. It’s an excellent family dish! Spoil yourself…

What you’ll need:

3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or more)
1 onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 (28 oz) cans of crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
8 oz fresh mozzarella (if desired)

Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add crushed red pepper flakes ad sauté for 2 minutes. Add onions and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add garlic, and sauté for an additional 2 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes, basil, salt, pepper and more crushed pepper (if you like it a bit more spicy). Simmer on low/medium, partially covered, for 30 minutes. In the meantime prepare pasta of your choice according to the instructions on the package. Add the Arrabbiata sauce to the pasta. Stir well.

This last step is only necessary if you like to top off your pasta with fresh mozzarella. Pre-heat your oven to 350°. Pour the Arrabbiata pasta into an oven proof dish. Lay generous slices of fresh mozzarella on top of the pasta. Place the dish into the oven and bake for 20 minutes uncovered. Let it cool down a bit, garnish with a basil leaf, then serve immediatly.