Sun Dried Tomato Spicy Bow Tie Pasta aka Arrabiata Bon Pomodoro (Translation: Angry Happy Tomatoes)

I came up with this tonight after spotting sundried tomatoes at the store. I know I often say that a recipe was really good, but this dish made me feel like I was back in Italy eating at a Trattoria. It will be made again and again and again if my husband has it his way. He absolutely went gaga over this dish. It was very simple to make. Most of the recipe is prep work - cutting the onions, tomatoes, garlic, peppers, etc. Its best to get everything chopped and ready to go before hand. Then it takes about 20 minutes to throw it together.

Edit: I prepared this again and checked the measurements, so the recipe is good to go now. If you do not have fresh herbs, dried herbs should be fine, just substitute 1 1/2 tsp italian seasonings instead. If you do not currently grow your own herbs, it is really one of the easiest things to grow outside. My thyme, oregeno and majoram survived ten feet of snow on top of it. I usually buy a pre grown basil plant and put it in the ground around the end of May, but depending on where you are you may be able to start it earlier. There is just nothing like using fresh herbs and who can afford to purchase them in the store at $3 - $4 for a small amount; ridiculous!

P.S. The photo does not do it justice. :)

1 Box Bow Tie Pasta

1/2 cup Olive Oil

1 Medium Onion, Diced

5 small garlic cloves, sliced thinly or chopped

1 Roma Tomato, chopped (optional)

6 Sun Dried Tomatoes in oil, chopped

3 Roasted Red Pepper slices from jar (I get mine from the $1 store)
1/4 cup Roasted Red Pepper liquid (the water from the jar)

1/2 small lemon zested and juiced, (if using large lemon only use 1/4)

1/2 - 3/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

 1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Pepper

7 leaves Fresh Basil, Chiffonade (roll up leaves and slice thinly)

1 sprig thyme leaves, chopped
1 small sprig oregeno leaves, chopped (about 4 inches long, pull leaves off and chop)

1 small sprig majoram leaves, chopped (about 4 inches long, pull leaves off and chop)

1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water

1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, reserve 1/4 cup for garnishing

Under cook pasta by 2 minutes - if the box says to cook 10 minutes for al dente, only cook 8- it will cook a little more in the pasta sauce. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water for sauce.

In a sauce pan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (more or less according to taste). Add onions to pan and saute on medium heat with 1 tsp salt for 10 minutes or until golden in color. Mix in Roma Tomatoes, Sundried Tomatoes, remaining 1/4 cup olive oil.  Simmer for 5 minutes to develop flavors. Mix in roasted red pepper, garlic and 1/4 cup of roasted red pepper liquid from the jar. Simmer for a 5 minutes more; Add herbs, zest and lemon juice; Cook on medium heat for 8-10 minutes. At the same time you are simmering the sauce for 10 minutes, begin cooking pasta noodles) When pasta has finished cooking pour 1/2 cup pasta cooking water into sauce. Strain pasta noodles and stir into sauce mixture. Continue cooking on med-low for two minutes. Sprinkle pasta with 1/4 tsp salt, fresh or ground pepper and 1/8 cup parmesan cheese; mix well; taste. Add more salt and crushed red pepper if desired..  Serve garnished with parmesan cheese and fresh basil.