Pasta with Tomatoes and Sausage Recipe

• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 3 tsp minced garlic
• 1 pound mild Italian sausage, removed from casings
• 1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 pound dried pasta, such as farfalle or fettucine
• basil leaves, chopped
• 3 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese, for garnish

1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan over medium heat and, once heated, add bell pepper, red flakes and salt till it’s softened. Toss in onion, garlic and sausage.
2. When sausage is just about cooked, dump in canned, diced, tomatoes without juice.
3. Cook pasta according to the package directions. When it’s al dente, drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water for the sauce. Add pasta water to tomato mixture (only if needed), and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits that may have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add basil leaves.
4. Add sauce to drained pasta. Stir gently until pasta is well coated. Serve topped with shavings of Pecorino Romano.