Homemade Pasta Sauce with Sun dried Tomatoes

I have a great temptation to try a variety of cuisines. But I hardly like any of them. My hubby always jokes around saying I try to Indianize any food served to me. In fact I do that a lot. Even when I try to cook those at home, I try to put some extra chillies or garam masala in everything making it palatable for my taste buds. I tried quite a few times making pasta at home, but never liked those, until this one.

Homemade Pasta Sauce with Sun dried Tomatoes  
Over my weekend shopping, I saw Sun dried tomatoes in a jar for a good price at a warehouse store and was tempted to buy those, reason, I wanted to make something with tomatoes for JFI:Tomatoes, a blog event hosted by RP of My Workshop for the Month of March.


5 big juicy tomatoes or 14oz can diced tomatoes
10-12 halved pieces of sun dried tomatoes
1 carrot, diced
1 medium onion, diced
7-8 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp red chilli flakes
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup water or vegetable broth

Heat olive oil and toss in the onions, garlic, carrot and fry for 5 minutes. Toss in the chilli flakes, Sauté and add chopped fresh and sun dried tomatoes. Bring it to a boil and simmer on low heat till the tomatoes break down, about 30 minutes. Add water or broth if required. Add salt. Let it cool completely. Transfer to a food processor and grind into a thick chunky sauce. Use as needed, store in the refrigerator upto 2-3 weeks. You may freeze the sauce too.

Penne Pasta with Spinach & Homemade Pasta Sauce

Penne Pasta with Spinach & Homemade Pasta Sauce
You can use the Homemade Pasta Sauce with any kind of pasta. I just love Penne. The hollow tubes in it hold to the pasta sauce very well.

Penne pasta
homemade sauce
7-10 cloves of garlic
chilli flakes, as desired
1/2 bunch spinach, torn roughly

Cook Pasta according to the manufacturers directions. While the pasta is cooking, Sauté garlic and chilli flakes, toss in the spinach and Sauté till the spinach is well blanched. Add the pasta sauce as much as desired. Bring it to a boil. Drain the cook pasta and add to the sauce. Mix well, adjust salt. Add more sauce if desired.
Serve hot. Enjoy!