Mini Penne with Peppers

Overview
Mini penne pasta is mixed with fresh sliced colorful pepper, cherry tomatoes and ground beef to make this very satisfying dish. Made with all fresh ingredients this pasta dish makes a complete meal.  This pasta dish does not have much sauce but the fresh garlic, tomatoes and beef coats the each penne pasta to add a delicious flavor.

Pasta Ingredients

Mini Penne with Peppers, Cherry Tomatoes and ground Beef

Ingredients
1 Pound Mini Penne pasta
1 Pound ground beef
2 Cups cherry tomatoes cleaned and quartered length wise
Thin sliced pepper the same size as the penne pasta
(I have used yellow, orange and red peppers)
Red Onion one large finely chopped
Garlic - 6 cloves finely chopped
Dry Basil leaves - 2 tablespoons
Crushed red peppers - 1 tablespoon
Fresh ground black pepper - 1 teaspoon
Olive oil - 5 tablespoons.

Steps
1. Add salt and black pepper to the ground beef and brown well and keep aside.
2. Cook the pasts according to the instruction on the box. Do not overcook the pasta it has to be al dente. Drain pasta from water mix with one tablespoon olive oil and dry basil leaves and keep aside.
3. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a big pan.  Saute the sliced peppers with a little salt and keep aside. Do not over cook. Keep this aside.
4. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a pan. When the oil gets hot add the finely chopped garlic saute few minutes and add the crushed red peppers for few minutes and then add the thin sliced onions to this. Saute few ore minutes and then add the sliced cherry tomatoes to this with a little salt and mix well.
5. Cover pan with lid and cook tomatoes for about 5 3 - 4 minutes. Add the browned ground beef to the tomatoes and mix well. Make sure most of the liquid is evaporated.
6. Add the cooked Penne pasta to this and mix well. Add the sauteed pepper to this. Turn off heat. Mix well and serve.