Penne Pasta

Photo: flickr user museinthecity

Ingredients

Penne al rucola

340 grams penne

alt

generous handful of rocket

olive oil

tomato sauce:

1 onion finely chopped

2 clv garlic finely chopped

1 lrg sprig of thyme

2 tablespoons olive oil

400 grams tin of chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato puree

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

110 ml red wine

1 teaspoon sugar

1 salt and pepper

Preparation

The tomato sauce can be made in advance and reheated.

In a wide pan cook the onion garlic and thyme gently in the olive oil without browning until tender.

Add the remaining ingredients and cook hard until reduced to a thick sauce.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

Bring a large pan of water lightly salted to the boil.

Drop in the penne and simmer until al dente.

Meanwhile tear up or chop (I dont think it makes much difference either way) the rocket roughly then reheat the tomato sauce.

Drain the penne pile into a serving dish toss with a quick slug of olive oil and pour over the sauce.

Scatter rocket over and serve immediately.

This pasta dish is based on one I ate years ago in the medieval town of Orvieto in Umbria. On several occasions we lunched in a restaurant deep under the town in cellars that were once part of the Medici palace. Penne dressed with a simple tomato sauce (all the better for being made with the juicy sun ripened tomatoes of July here tinned tomatoes are the best substitute) and a handful of roughly torn up rocket featured high on the menu. The heat of the sauce and the pasta is enough to wilt the rocket a little releasing and modifying the taste.

Freshly grated Parmesan is an optional extra though some may feel that the rocket makes it superfluous especially if the word "handful" is interpreted with largesse.

Serves 3