Pici Pasta with Garlic Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

Pici pasta

400g

Canned tomatoes

2 cans (400g each)

Garlic

4 cloves, minced

Olive oil

4 tablespoons

Fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup, torn

Parmesan cheese

1 cup, grated

Chili flakes

1 teaspoon (or to taste)

Salt

to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pici pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, usually around 8-10 minutes.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the minced garlic and chili flakes, sautéing until the garlic turns golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
3. Pour in the canned tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon. Season with salt and let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken slightly.
4. Once the pasta is cooked, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water and then drain the pasta. Add the drained pasta to the simmering sauce, tossing gently to combine. If the sauce appears too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water to achieve the desired consistency.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the torn fresh basil leaves.
6. Serve immediately, topped with a generous grating of Parmesan cheese and additional fresh basil if desired.