Penne Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Chile

This penne is all about a bold, uncooked sauce that comes together while you boil the pasta. Sun-dried tomatoes, crushed red chile, oil-cured black olives, fresh basil, Italian parsley, garlic, and lemon zest steep together in olive oil for a couple of hours, building a concentrated, punchy sauce with serious depth and heat.

No cooking the sauce means every ingredient keeps its distinct character. The sun-dried tomatoes stay chewy and intensely sweet-tart, the herbs stay bright and fragrant, and the chile brings a slow, building warmth that doesn’t get dulled by heat.

That two-hour resting time at room temperature is where the magic happens. The garlic softens in the oil, the chile infuses everything, and the tomato oil blends with the olive oil into a rich, flavor-loaded dressing that clings to every tube of penne.

Toss it all together with a generous pile of freshly grated Parmesan while the pasta is still hot. The heat from the penne melts the cheese just enough to create a light, clingy coating.

Kitchen Tips

• Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. The oil from the jar is used in the sauce and adds concentrated tomato flavor.
• Start with less chile and adjust up. Four tablespoons of crushed red pepper is serious heat. Taste the sauce before tossing with the pasta.
• Cook the penne to true al dente. It needs some bite to hold up against the chunky, textured sauce.
• Let the sauce come fully to room temperature before tossing. A cold sauce on hot pasta brings the temperature down too fast.

Variations

• Add toasted pine nuts for crunch and richness.
• Stir in a handful of arugula when tossing for a peppery, fresh green contrast.
• Use goat cheese crumbles instead of Parmesan for a tangier, creamier finish.