Pepperoni Pasta

Pepperoni Pasta - Serves 4

I remember my mom making a version of this dish when I was a kid. It wasn’t until
my later years when I was doing my own cooking that I truly fell in love with the
simplicity and comfort of this dish.

I love this dish for multiple reasons, one, it comes together quickly with a lot of
ingredients that we usually have around the house. Two, it has a lot of the same
flavors as my beloved pizza but in pasta form!

For this recipe I like to use the highest quality pepperoni I can find. Currently, we’re
enjoying Applegate’s pepperoni that you can buy in any quantity from the grocery
store deli.

1lb dry pasta – any shape will work. I like to serve this with spaghetti or rigatoni.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium sized onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, depending on the spice level you like
1 jar marinara sauce (24 oz)
1 cup of pepperoni cut into thin strips
¼ cup shredded mozzarella
¼ cup grated Parmesan

Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package.

In a saucepan heat the olive oil, once hot add the onion, garlic and red pepper flakes.
Cook until fragrant. Add the pepperoni and cook until heated through, about 2
minutes.

Add the marinara sauce and bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Once the pasta is done, drain and the noodles and mix with the sauce mixture. Add
in the mozzarella cheese.

To serve, divide amongst plates and top with grated Parmesan.