# Olive Marinara and Garlic-Basil Linguini



## Weeks (Oct 7, 2004)

*2 *14.5oz cans of tomato paste
*2 tbsp* extra virgin olive oil
*3 tbsp* butter or margarine
*2 tbsp* fresh grated parmesan cheese
*1/2 cup* garlic stuffed spanish olives, diced (Fresh Market is the only place I know of that sells them)
*1/2 cup* black olives, diced
*1/2 cup* pearl onions, diced
*1* clove of garlic, crushed
*1/4 lb* fresh italian sausage, crumbled
*1* tsp fresh crushed basil leaves
*1/2 a bag* of "al dente" egg-based linguine

Using the olive oil, sautee the onions, garlic and sausage until the onions
are slightly caramelized, turning a light brown color all the way through.

Add in the tomato paste, diced olives, parmesan cheese and basil leaves,
stir and simmer over medium heat, making sure the cheese is evenly
distributed within. Salt & pepper to taste.

Prepare the pasta water using a pinch of basil, olive oil, and a small
amount of garlic, and salt the water until it is properly seasoned and
boiling. Add pasta and cook for 3-4 minutes. Strain and stir in butter.

For the best results, top with additional parmesan cheese and serve with
chilled Coppola Merlot. Red wine for a red sauce.


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## SizzlininIN (Oct 7, 2004)

Thanks Weeks I cannot wait to try this.....I don't know if I can find those olives around here.  I may see if hubby wants to take a trip over to Indy.....I'm thinking there is a Whole Foods there if memory serves me right and surly they have them.  If not then I'll try another spanish olive.

This sounds so delicious!!!


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## crewsk (Oct 7, 2004)

Weeks, I can't wait to try this! Thank you so much!


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## mudbug (Oct 7, 2004)

Tres beaucoup good!  Copying to my folder.


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## Weeks (Oct 7, 2004)

Thanks, guys. Believe it or not, this was a spur-of-the-moment inspiration thing. I love those garlic-stuffed olives as a SNACK, and it was sort of a momentary inspiration as I was planning dinner to use them in the pasta sauce. After I'd decided to use them, I built the rest of the sauce around them. I needed something to take the edge off of the spanish olives and the tomatoes, so I used black olives, pearl onions, and the cheese to smooth things out and create, for all intents and purposes, a very nice, tasty, complex-but-not-overly-so marinara sauce.

Edit: pearl onions, not vidalia.  Wheee...


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## SizzlininIN (Oct 7, 2004)

Well it sounds absolutely heavenly Weeks.......care to share any other Italian Style Recipes with us


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## lyndalou (Oct 15, 2004)

Do you use the California olives or imported black olives in this sauce? :P


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