Braised Mushroom, Pepper and Tomato Cacciatore

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• ½ pound cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons capers
• ¼ cup pitted, chopped Kalamata olives
• 4 tablespoons salsa
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
• 6 ounces short pasta, such as fusilli or farfalle
• ½ cup chopped fresh basil

Instructions

1. 1Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, and salt and sauté until fragrant, about 6 minutes.
2. 2Stir in the capers, olives, salsa, garlic, and rosemary and continue to cook for about 3 more minutes. Add the red wine vinegar and black pepper and sauté for another 3 minutes.
3. 3Add the diced tomatoes, pasta, and 1 ½ cups water and bring to a boil. Partially cover the pot, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until the pasta is cooked, about 20 minutes. Add up to ¼ cup of water if the mixture starts drying out.
4. 4Add the basil about 5 minutes before the pasta is cooked through, and season with red pepper flakes. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.