1 package of pasta (I like shells or spirals, but use whatever you want)
1 medium white or yellow onion (I like sweet onions, but Spanish will work just as well). chopped
garlic to taste (1-2 cloves or more), chopped finely
handful (1/4 cup) pine nuts
big handful (1/2 cup) green olives, chopped up and drained on a paper towel
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
big pinch of sugar or spoon of honey (optional, to taste)
wine or vinegar (wine vinegar or balsamic)
olive oil and lots of it
salt, pepper, dried herbs (to taste)
Put a big pot of water on to boil. Cover the pot to help the water boil faster. Don't add salt until it's boiling. It's good to have about twice as much water as pasta, because the pasta will absorb a lot of the water as it cooks.
While the water boils, put olive oil in a medium saucepan or large skillet, enough to cover the bottom. Add chopped onions, garlic, and salt. The salt will bring out the liquid from the onions and keep them from scorching. Add the pine nuts and olives. When the onions are soft and becoming translucent, and the olives have started to wrinkle a bit, add the tomato paste and stir it into the onions. Pour in the crushed tomatoes. Stir together and simmer.
When the sauce is beginning to smell good, put your pasta (and salt if you wish) into the boiling water. If the water boils before you're ready to start the pasta, no big deal. Just turn down the flame and let it wait for you.
Add a good splash of wine or vinegar to the sauce, and sugar if it needs it. Season it with salt, pepper, and any herbs you want - basil, thyme, and oregano are always good bets. If the sauce is too thick even after adding the wine, add a little water, or milk if you like Northern Italian cooking. It's no big deal if the sauce is ready before the pasta is. Just turn off the flame. It's not likely that the sauce will get cold before the pasta's ready, and you can always turn the flame back on for a minute at the end.
When the pasta is ready, drain it and add a little olive oil to keep it from sticking together (and because it's yummy). I don't recommend running your drained pasta under cold water, because I like the starch to stay, but that's a personal choice. Do it if you want to.
Mix the pasta and sauce together, add more salt and pepper if you need it, and dig in.
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