Penne alla Carrattiera

1 lb         penne or spaghetti

4 tbs        olive oil

6              small cloves garlic, whole

1 to 3       whole peperoncino* pods, to taste

22 oz        ripe plum tomatos, fresh or canned, drained, seeded and chopped

2 tbs        parsley, freshly chopped

In a 12-inch skillet, saute the garlic and peperoncino in the olive oil until the garlic softens a little, being careful not to burn it. Add the tomatos, turn up the heat and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes stirring constantly and smashing any hard bits against the side of the pan. Add salt, perhaps a little more than you would normally since the presence of the peperoncino tends to kill the taste of the salt. Remove the peperoncino.

Drain the pasta well, before it reaches al dente, and let it finish cooking in the sauce. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately, without cheese.

4 to 6 servings

* chilli pepper