Spicy tomato-olive sauce
05.6.2011 This post written by the original Ebby.
It's Friday! It's sunny! Tonight I get to visit a great friend. We're making guacamole and grilling chicken. It's one of the first days in recent memory that the wind isn't whipping around at 30 mph. The grass is green and there are tiny leaves on the trees. And I have plans for delicious tomato sauce with pasta for lunch (again). All of these things make me one happy girl.
This sauce has turned into somewhat of an obsession. I've made it three times this week. What is wrong with me?
The thing is, it's fabulous. And easy and super-fast. By the time my pasta is done, the sauce is ready! What could be better? It blows jarred sauce out of the water and uses standard pantry ingredients. Perfect!
Here's what you do:
Warm 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup chopped onion and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add two cloves of minced garlic and cook for another minute.
Grab a can of diced tomatoes and dump it in with the onions and garlic. Chop 1/4 cup each of black and green olives; throw 'em in. Then add 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Salt and pepper to taste.
After simmering for about 10 minutes it should be slightly thickened and ready for eating.
I've been adding cooked chicken to my sauce and using it over spaghetti, topped with a sprinkling of feta cheese. Yum! It would also be great with ground beef or shrimp. Sauteeing mushrooms along with the onion and garlic sounds wonderful too.
Around here the fresh oregano and basil at the grocery store leave much to be desired. So until mine is ready to harvest, I stick with the dried stuff. But if you're lucky enough to get your hands on some fresh herbs, using them instead would certainly add a great burst of flavor.
This sauce definitely puts out some heat. If you need to tone it down you can halve the amount of red pepper flakes.
Happy Friday!
Reader Comments (9)
I just started coming over to your blog a few days ago! Imagine my surprise when I saw you left me a comment on my little ol' blog! Thank you for stopping by! I love what you do here! ♥- Katrina
I don't like olives, but the fiance LOVES them. I know he'd love if I made this for him! :)
This looks yummy!!! I will have to try out this recipe!
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My stomach just growled so loud it woke the dog. This looks fantastic! When you come to Cayman, you're absolutely making this for me :)
Looks delish...love the bites of olive saltiness balanced with the acidity of the tomatoes.
This sounds incredible!! Can't blame you for having it a few times in one week... beautiful sauce!!
My mama would just love this pasta dish! Olives are one of her absolute favorite foods. :)
Sounds quite similar to "Pasta Putanesca". The legend goes that the Italian "ladies-of-the-evening" made this aromatic pasta dish to lure customers to their services.
Sounds quite similar to "Pasta Putanesca". It's my very favorite with angel-hair pasta. The legend goes that the Italian "ladies-of-the-evening" made this aromatic pasta dish to lure customers to their services.