Pasta with Pesto and homemade Marinara sauce

Pasta is one simple and delicious wholesome meal. Preparing a simple pasta dish is very simple. If you have few basic ingredients, a delicious wholesome pasta meal can be prepared with homemade marinara sauce. I have used whole wheat penne pasta and that makes the dish more healthy. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Whole wheat penne rigate pasta - half box (approximately 6 oz) - I used Ronzoni healthy harvest whole wheat blend penne rigate pasta

Canned tomato puree or canned crushed tomato - one and half cups ( or blanch 5 ripe large tomatoes and grind)

Garlic cloves - 5 (crushed)

Ground pepper - quarter teaspoon

Salt as required

Ready made fresh garlic and basil pesto sauce - 2 tablespoons

Olive oil - 2 tablespoons

Italian seasoning (dry) - a little less than quarter teaspoon

Pitted and sliced olives - handful

Parmesan cheese as required

Water - half cup

Method:

Cook the penne pasta:

Boil 2 quarts water with 2 teaspoons salt and add half box pasta. Stir occasionally. Cook until pasta is tender. When pasta is cooked, drain water using a colander. Keep is aside.

Preparing the sauce:

Heat olive oil in a saucepan and add the crushed garlic, ground pepper and tomato.

Allow the content to boil in medium heat. Stir occasionally.

When it is boiling, add the Italian seasoning, the pesto sauce, half cup water and quarter teaspoon salt.

Keep it partially closed and let it cook until the oil separates. Turn off heat.

Set the plate:

Take a scoop of cooked penne pasta in a plate. Add the prepared sauce on top. Top it with olives and grated parmesan cheese.

This pasta is my entry to the following events.

Food in colors - Red - event hosted by Sunshinemom of Tongueticklers.

A.W.E.D - Italian event hosted by Dhivya of Culinary baazar.

Herb mania - Basil event hosted by Ammalu of Ammalu's kitchen.

La Cucina Italiana event hosted by Meeta of What's for lunch honey.

Thank you for hosting the wonderful events. Looking forward for the roundups.