Penne with Tomato-Shrimp Sauce

This is an all-purpose recipe, useful for almost any finfish or shellfish you have in the house; see the variations for a couple of suggestions.

Salt

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small dried hot red chile or hot red pepper flakes, to taste

2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed

2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes, seeded (or drained canned)

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound penne or other cut pasta

3/4 to 1 pound large (21–30) shrimp, peeled, cut up if very large

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Put the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chiles and garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic turns brown (this is a somewhat strong-tasting sauce), about a minute.
Remove and discard the chiles and garlic and add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes begin to liquefy, about 5 minutes; add the rosemary and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook for another 5 min utes, then turn off the heat. (At this point, you may refrigerate the sauce, covered, for a day or two or freeze for several weeks. Reheat before adding the shrimp.)
Cook the pasta in the boiling water; when the pasta just begins to soften, stir the shrimp into the sauce—they need cook for only 3 or 4 minutes—along with most of the parsley. Drain the pasta when it is tender but not mushy, then toss it with the sauce and remaining parsley. Serve immediately.
- Substitute squid for shrimp. Clean and rinse the squid, then cut it up . Proceed with the recipe, adding the squid only when the sauce is done, in Step 3. Cook for 2 minutes, then taste for doneness. Be careful not to overcook.
  - Add one 6- or 7-ounce can tuna (packed in olive oil) and 2 tablespoons capers. Stir the tuna, breaking it into flakes, and the capers into the cooked sauce just before tossing with the pasta.
- MAKES: At least 4 servings
- TIME: 40 minutes