Little Italy Pasta

Ingredients

• Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup, freshly grated)
• Fresh basil (1/4 cup, finely chopped)
• Red pepper flakes (1/2 teaspoon (or more if you like it spicy))
• Tomato paste (2 tablespoons)
• Crushed tomatoes (1 can (28 ounces))
• Garlic (3 cloves, minced)
• Onion (1 medium, finely chopped)
• Olive oil (2 tablespoons)
• Italian sausage (1 pound)
• Pasta (1 pound, type of your choice)

Instructions

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cooking until the onion becomes soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the Italian sausage to the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to break it up into small pieces as it cooks until it is browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, and chopped basil. Reduce heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes to meld the flavors together.
5. Add the drained pasta to the skillet. Toss well to ensure each strand of pasta is coated with the sauce. If needed, add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.
6. Serve the pasta hot, garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!