Spicy Tomato Sauce with Fennel, Peppers and Onions

By Cindy

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1 Fresno chili pepper, thinly sliced with seeds or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cubanelle peppers, seeded and chopped
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 28- to 32-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 pound pici, bucatini, perciatelle or spaghetti
• Pecorino cheese, grated, for topping

Preparation

Step 1

Heat EVOO, 4 turns of the pan, in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add fennel, chili and garlic, and stir 3-4 minutes. Add onions and peppers, season with salt, stir and cook 5-6 minutes more, partially covered. Stir in tomato paste until fragrant, 1 minute, then add wine and reduce a minute or so. Add tomatoes and break them up with a potato masher. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, partially covered.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt and cook pasta to al dente. Just before draining, reserve half a mug of starchy water.

Drain pasta, combine with sauce and add a little starchy cooking water as needed.
Serve pasta in shallow bowls topped with cheese.