This is a top secret family recipe for pasta - perfect for cold days. It takes a little time but requires no effort.

Get a good stick of pepperoni - not the Hormel, but some genuine spicey brand. Get a 29-oz can of tomato sauce, DeLallo preferred but Hunt's will do. 8-oz can of tomato paste, Contadina is best. 1 lb of rigatoni, penne, or other "tube" pasta.

Slice the pepperoni into pieces no more than 1/4" thick, or less. Saute in a big sauce pan on med-high heat until the pieces are lightly browned on both sides and there is grease all over the bottom of the pan. Pour in the tomato sauce, fill the sauce can 1/2 full of water and pour that in. Spoon in the paste and stir it well so all of the paste mixes. Fill that can w/ water and pour into the pan, stir a bit more. Turn heat to high until sauce bubbles - then stir. If it immediately bubbles after stirring, you can turn it down to low and let it simmer, covered. Stir every time you need a beer. Cooking time depends solely on when your water boils for the noodles.

Boil your water and cook your noodles. Drain, and dump the noodles into the sauce, mix well, garnish with parmigiano-reggiano (or parmesan) <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/drunk.gif" alt="" /> and eat. Good Italian bread is required as well.

This is even better as left-overs since the sauce thickens considerably.

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