Quick Dish: Pasta with spicy tomato cream sauce

Pasta dishes always make quick and easy meals during the busy workweek, but they can become quite mundane without the proper inspiration. This spicy tomato cream sauce takes just 25 minutes to prepare and will put a kick back into your meal.

It's vegetarian and can be adjusted based on veggie preferences by adding eggplant or peppers as a flavorful add-on. Meat eaters also can add bacon, pancetta or even sausage. The cayenne pepper adds a spice atypical in most pasta recipes.

Garlic bread is the perfect complement and takes no more than 15 minutes to prepare. The recipe can be adjusted based on your garlic preference, and dried sage, rosemary or thyme can be added for flavor. You also can keep it simple, using just extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

Spicy Tomato Cream Sauce Pasta

Serves 4

1 pound uncooked rigatoni

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced

1 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup Kalamata olives, sliced

1 cup green peas

— 26-ounce jar of tomato sauce

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or a full teaspoon for an added kick)

— Black pepper to taste

1/4 cup fresh chopped Italian parsley

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onion, and stir for about 2 or 3 minutes. Add the garlic, and stir for another minute. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until they soften.

Add the sun dried tomatoes, olives and green peas. Stir for another minute or two.

Stir the tomato sauce into the vegetable medley, then slowly pour in the whipping cream. Season to taste with cayenne pepper and black pepper.

Top the pasta with sauce and toss. Finish with Italian parsley.

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Garlic Bread

Serves 4

1 French baguette

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons dried basil

— Salt and pepper to taste

Set the oven to broil. Cut the French baguette in half. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil onto both halves of the baguette, or use a pastry brush.

Sprinkle garlic and dried basil evenly on both halves. Salt and pepper to taste. Place both halves on a cookie sheet, and place it in the oven.

Broil for 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown.

Jessie Fetterling is a Santa Rosa-based food and travel writer.