Mediterranean Harvest Pasta - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives
1/3 cup chopped bottled roasted red peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon white sugar, or more to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
black pepper to taste
3/4 cup vegetarian burger crumbles
1 pound penne pasta

Preparation

Stir the tomatoes, olives, red pepper, garlic, vinegar, sugar, olive oil, oregano, and black pepper in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken, 20 to 30 minutes.
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the penne, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
Once the tomato sauce is ready, pour into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the sauce moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree until smooth, then return to the pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the sauce right in the cooking pot. Stir in the burger crumbles, and simmer until hot. Pour the sauce over the cooked penne to serve.