Cookin' with Wood

Penne Rigate with Meat Sauce Peperonata

So last time, I made too much of the pasta for the recipe because the box told me to, and this time I'm using up the rest of the pasta with the other recipe on the back of the box. Ironically, this recipe only calls for half of the box, unlike the first recipe, which called for the whole box, yet didn't make enough sauce for the whole box. That's why I made this recipe. I had to use the rest of the pasta.

Consequently, I already had the pasta done. Since you don't, get a large pot of water boiling, add some salt, and cook a half of the box of the Penne to "al dente."

In the large skillet over medium heat, cook the meat and onion until the meat is browned. In the meantime, drain and slice the tomato. Even though the tomatoes are drained, they'll make a lot of juice while you're slicing them. You can add that juice to the recipe. The same thing will happen with the roasted red pepper. You can drain them, but they'll still be juicy when you slice them. Add the tomato, red pepper, tomato sauce, and seasonings to the meat and onion mixture. Heat to boiling, and cook 10 minutes, uncovered.

The original recipe calls for just 3/4 lb of ground beef, but I used a whole pound because I store my ground beef in one pound packages. That seemed to work out fine. I had a little trouble finding a jar of roasted red pepper, as I've never had to look for it before. There's a section of the supermarket that has stuff like that, usually near the olives. If you can't find it, ask one of the store employees, they'll be glad to help you find it.

So once your pasta and sauce are finished, toss some of the pasta with some of the sauce, and you're in for a great-tasting dish. Top it with the grated Parmesan cheese. Serve it with a fresh salad and some garlic bread for a hearty meal.

Bob is the author of "Don't Fry Bacon with Your Shirt Off!  A Single Man's Guide to the Kitchen"  a PublishAmerica book.