Pasta With Spicy Tomato Sauce

This sauce was an experiment created to satisfy the Indian palate - a good amount of carbs with a healthy dose of heat.  After I made it once, my kids were hooked.  We always make pasta sauce this way now.  This was probably the first recipe both my kids asked me to teach them when they went away to college.

You will need:

• 1 lb or whatever quantity of pasta - spaghetti works best
• 2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup (or less) of good quality, extra virgin olive oil
• Red chilli powder (paprika does not work as it is mostly color and does not provide heat) - 1 tsp
• If you don't have red chilli powder which you can find at any Indian grocery store, you may use red chilli flakes.
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced into cubes or cut into coin shapes
• 1 bunch fresh baby spinach - optional
• Fresh basil leaves - a few
• 1 jar good quality store bought tomato sauce.  Our family prefers Barilla brand sauce  (olive oil and basil works great).

Method:

Bring a pot of water to boil, with salt.  Cook pasta per package directions.
While the pasta is cooking:

Heat olive oil in a sauce pan.
When it's hot but not smoking hot, add the carrots.  Add a pinch of salt for the carrots, saute.
Add the garlic.
Add the chilli powder/flakes.
Add the spinach now if using.
Saute everything together for about 2 - 3 minutes.
Now add the jar of sauce.
Turn the heat down, and let the sauce simmer for about 7 minutes.  The oil will start to separate.
Add the fresh basil leaves.

Ladle the sauce on the pasta.  Add grated cheese (parmesan, romano, pecorino romano).
Enjoy with a tall glass of ice cold milk, and a green salad.  And good crusty bread.  And a slice of tiramisu. :)