Ingredients

The following ingredients have 6 Servings
  • 1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes, whole or diced, with juice
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for oiling baking dish
  • 1 large sweet yellow pepper, cut in 1/2-inch dice
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/8 teaspoon sugar
  • Salt
  • 1/3 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
  • Black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons slivered fresh basil (optional)
  • 1 pound rigatoni
  • 3 ounces Gruyère, grated (3/4 cup)
  • 1 ounce Parmesan (optional), grated (1/4 cup)

Instruction

  • Pulse tomatoes with juice in a food processor to a coarse purée. Put a large pot of water on to boil.
  • In a large heavy skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and add yellow pepper. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute.
  • Add tomatoes, sugar and salt to taste, and turn up heat to medium-high. When tomatoes begin to bubble briskly and sputter, turn heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have cooked down to a fragrant, thick sauce, about 15 minutes. Add olives, black pepper and basil, stir together, taste and adjust seasoning.
  • Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish or gratin with olive oil.
  • When water in pot comes to a boil, salt generously and add rigatoni. Cook al dente, removing from the water 1 minute sooner than indicated in the package instructions. (Reserve some of the cooking water.) Transfer pasta to a large bowl.
  • If the tomato sauce seems very thick, thin out as desired with 2 to 4 tablespoons pasta cooking water. Scrape into bowl with pasta, add cheeses and toss well. Scrape into prepared baking dish. Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over the top. Cover with foil.
  • Bake 25 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake another 5 to 10 minutes, until bubbly and beginning to brown in spots. Serve hot.