Hearty Tomato-Olive Penne

The news from Washington this week was extraordinary — the inauguration, the transition, the particular ritual of American self-renewal that gets performed every four years and in this case felt more weighted than usual. I watched it on the television, which I rarely do for news, but this seemed like the kind of thing you watch rather than read about. Vermont was blue sky and cold and the television showed Washington and crowds and a ceremony. It felt like something resolving.

I made a pot of chili — the comfort food of political uncertainty, I've decided. Something warm and long-cooked and fundamentally nourishing that asks nothing of you except time and attention. I use dried beans, three kinds, which requires planning ahead. Chili that starts with canned beans is fine but chili that starts with beans you soaked overnight has a different quality, a solidity that matches the effort it represents.

The vaccine is getting closer. My county sent out a signup notice for residents over sixty-five with certain conditions. I registered. I'm waiting for an appointment. It won't come immediately but the fact of the list, of having a place in a queue — that's something. A line being held for you in the future.

My maple trees are not ready yet. I walk through the grove every few days in this deep cold and take a reading of the season, which means looking at the sky and the temperature and thinking about what February usually does. February is variable. Sometimes it offers false thaws that trick you into thinking it's time, then pulls back. March is when the real window opens. Six weeks. Six weeks and the sap will run.

The pot of chili takes planning — the overnight soak, the long simmer, the kind of commitment you make to a day. But the spirit underneath it, that need for something warm and real and made with your own hands while the news does what it does, doesn’t always wait for a soaked bean. This Hearty Tomato-Olive Penne is what I reach for when the pantry and the clock conspire against a long braise: olives for depth and brine, crushed tomatoes for body, and enough garlic to make the kitchen smell like somewhere worth being. It asks the same thing chili asks — attention, a little patience — but answers in under forty minutes.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

12 oz penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, plus more for serving

Instructions

Salt and boil. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add penne and cook according to package directions until al dente, usually 10–12 minutes. Before draining, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water and set it aside. Drain the pasta.
Build the base. While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring frequently, for about 90 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
Add tomatoes and olives. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir in the olives, oregano, basil, and sugar if using. Season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors meld.
Combine pasta and sauce. Add the drained penne directly to the skillet and toss well to coat every piece. If the sauce feels too thick or the pasta seems dry, add the reserved pasta water a splash at a time, tossing as you go, until the consistency is glossy and coats the pasta well.
Finish and serve. Remove from heat and stir in most of the parsley. Divide among four bowls, top with grated cheese and the remaining parsley, and serve immediately with crusty bread alongside if you have it.

Nutrition (per serving)

Hearty Tomato-Olive Penne — The Comfort of Something Resolving