Description
A delicious creamy sauce that perfectly coats rigatoni or penne pasta.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces Rigatoni or Penne
- 2 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 cloves Minced Garlic
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 teaspoon Dried Basil
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup Reserved Pasta Water
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with salted water, bring it to a rolling boil, and cook your rigatoni or penne until al dente—about 10-12 minutes. Remember to reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining!
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, pour in extra-virgin olive oil. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant—about 30 seconds. Be careful not to let it burn!
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 4-5 minutes until it darkens in color.
- Lower the heat and pour in the heavy cream, stirring gently to combine. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Mix in the crushed red pepper flakes, dried basil, salt, and black pepper to taste.
- Add the grated Parmesan cheese and unsalted butter, stirring until melted and creamy.
- Fold the cooked pasta into the sauce, ensuring each piece is well-coated.
- Transfer the pasta to plates, garnish with additional Parmesan, parsley, and red pepper flakes if desired.
Notes
- Fresh basil makes a great substitute for dried basil.
- You can adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes according to your preferred heat level.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 40g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 80mg