One of our favorite things about pasta is that you can get creative with your sauce. Bell peppers, black-eyed peas, and Tabasco give this baked pasta a racy Southern taste. Jamie and his family eat so much pasta at their house that we like to joke that if they weren’t from the South, they’d be from southern Italy.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

　　6 scallions (white and light green parts), chopped

　　1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced

　　3 large beefsteak tomatoes, chopped

　　One 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

　　2 1/2 teaspoons Tabasco or other hot sauce

　　2 1/4 teaspoons salt

　　1 pound bow tie pasta, cooked and drained

　　1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese (5 ounces)

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

　　

Step 2

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallions and bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, black-eyed peas, Tabasco, and salt. Cook for 5 minutes more, until some of the juice has evaporated. Add the bow ties and toss to combine.

　　

Step 3

Transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and top with the Parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

　　[The Deen Bros. Take It Easy](http://astore.amazon.com/epistore-20/detail/0345513266) by Jamie Deen, Bobby Deen, and Melissa Clark. Copyright © 2009 Jamie Deen, Bobby Deen, and Melissa Clark. Published by Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Jamie and Bobby Deen grew up in Georgia—first in Albany and then in Savannah—and, like many Southerners, they have always considered cooking and food a big part of their lives. When their mother, Paula Deen, started a sandwich delivery business in 1989, the boys took charge of deliveries. As the business grew into The Lady restaurant, they continued to help. Then, in 1996, the trio opened The Lady & Sons Restaurant to resounding success. They haven't looked back since. They regularly appear on ABC's Good Morning America and had their own Food Network show, Road Tasted.Melissa Clark has written for The New York Times, Food & Wine, Travel & Leisure, and Real Simple and has collaborated on twenty-one books.