Pasta with Tomato Sauce

# of servings:  4
Preparation Time:  10 mins	Cook Time:  20 mins

Quick comfort food with generous servings of veggies!  Cooking in this method ensures an evenly spiced and salted pasta that is full of flavor.  Can be personalized as per preference too.

Ingredients:

• Pasta - 2 lbs
• Tomato sauce - one 28 oz bottle
• Chopped bell peppers - 2 cups
• Garlic - 16 cloves
• Black olives - 1 can
• Broccoli florets - 1 cup (optional)
• Butter - 1 square (optional) 
• Red chili paste - 2 tbsp
• Salt
• Black pepper powder (or) red chili flakes - 0.5 tsp (optional) 
• Parmesan cheese - 1 chunk (optional)

Method:

• In a pasta pot, bring 1.5 quarts of water to boil (or 'Soup' mode in IP)
• Add the pasta to it along with enough salt
• Cook the pasta as soft or al dente as preferred (Time depends on the pasta used and preference) 
• While the pasta is cooking, peel the garlic, drain the black olives from the can, chop the bell peppers and broccoli (if using)
• Rip the basil leaves into long strips
• Drain the pasta and rinse in cold water
• Toss with a square of butter immediately (if using)
• In a vessel, take 2 tbsp of oil and heat ('Saute' mode in IP)
• Roast the garlic pods until they turn brown and scoop them out
• Roast the bell pepper strips till they turn shiny and release the oil
• Scoop the out and keep them aside as well
• Turn off the heat and toss the olives in the hot oil
• Scoop them out and set them aside
• Do the same with broccoli florets (if using)
• To the same oil, add red chili paste and saute
• Add the pasta sauce from the bottle to the chili paste in the vessel 
• Also, measure half a bottle of water in it, shake the bottle (to get out as much of the sauce as possible) and add to the sauce
• Add a little salt and bring it to a boil 
• Add the pasta to it and toss the pasta till everything heats up well
• Serve it into serving dishes and top it with the prepared veggie toppings - roasted garlic, bell peppers, broccoli and olives
• Sprinkle some salt and black pepper powder (or) red chili flakes, if desired
• Grate some parmesan cheese, if using
• Scatter some chopped basil leaves and serve hot! 

Tips and Tricks:

• Cooking pasta 'al dente' is better as it won't get too soggy or turn into a lump of carbs upon cooling
• Be sure to not use too much salt as the olives are already salty
• Add more toppings as preferred

Pictures: 

Final Outcome: