Spicy Cherry-Tomato Pasta

This recipe serves 4 as a main course, and you can use any type of pasta in the recipe: spaghetti, fettucine, farfale, penne, etc.

Ingredients
1 pkg of Pasta of your choice
1 pint Cherry tomatoes or Grape tomatoes
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms (I use Crimini or Baby Bellos, you can also use white)
1/4 cup Dry red wine
Nando's Hot Peri-Peri Pepper Grinder
1/2 cup fresh basil, shredded

Heat oven to 350 degrees, and bring a stockpot of water to a boil on your stove (you can add a pinch of salt to the water if desired). Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. While oven is preheating and water is coming to a boil, halve the tomatoes and place on the baking sheet. Bake the tomatoes at 350 degrees until wrinkled and caramelized (but not burnt), about 10 minutes. While the tomatoes are baking, add enough pasta for 4 to the boiling water and cook according to package directions. Drain the cooked pasta and set aside in a large bowl (not plastic).

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion, and sautee until golden (about 5 minutes). Add the mushrooms, red wine, and 4 to 6 "grinds" of the Nando's Hot Peri-Peri Pepper Grinder (or to taste). Stir well and cook until the mushrooms are cooked (3 to 5 minutes). Add the baked tomatoes and basil and stir to combine. Pour everything into the bowl with the pasta, and stir carefully to combine well. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria