- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 6-ounce pepperoni stick, grated on the large holes of a box grated or 1 package sliced pepperoni, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- A few basil stems, plus a few leaves
- Finely grated parmesan cheese, for topping
- 1 pound spaghetti
Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat with olive oil. Add the grated or chopped pepperoni to the pot and cook for a few minutes until it begins to crisp. Add in the onion and garlic, and cook a few minutes more to soften the onion. Season with salt and add in the oregano and crushed red pepper flakes. Add the tomato paste and stir around the pot a bit then add in all of the crushed tomatoes. Fill the empty can 1/4 of the way with water, swish it around then add it to the pot. Throw in a few stems of basil and turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
While the sauce cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente then drain and add the pasta back into the pot. Remove the basil stems from the pasta sauce and pour the cooked sauce over the pasta; stir to combine. Add in some freshly torn basil and a handful of parmesan cheese.
Divide the pasta into serving bowls and top with more parmesan cheese and torn basil.
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Sunny Anderson’s Pepperoni Popcorn
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