Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce recipe
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Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce

A wonderful and easy to prepare pasta sauce that just bursts with layers great tomato flavor. The recipe starts with an aromatic saute of onions, prosciutto, red pepper flakes and garlic. It then adds tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, and wine along with crushed tomatoes to create a sauce with great depth of flavor. Once the sauce has thickened, heavy cream, a bit of raw crushed tomatoes, a splash of wine and fresh chopped basil are added to finish the flavorful sauce. This isn't the quickest dish. Start to finish takes about an hour, and its multi-step processes require you to be in the kitchen or nearby for most of the cooking time. But it's amazing taste makes it well worth the time and effort spent.

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Servings: 4 Servings
Total Time (median): 1 : 00 Active Time: 0 : 30

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 ounce prosciutto, minced
  • 3/4 cup onion, finely diced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
  • Sea salt
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 ounces oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, rinsed, patted dry, and coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsps dry white wine or vermouth, divided
  • 2 1/4 cups crushed tomatoes, divided (I prefer organic tomatoes, either bottled or canned)
  • 1 pound pasta (such as ziti, penne, fusilli, or gemelli)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated - for serving

Preparation

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add prosciutto, onion, bay leaf, pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, uncovered, stirring often, until onion is soft and beginning to turn golden, about 8 to 12 minutes. Add garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high, add tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly darkened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup wine and cook, stirring often, until liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add 2 cups crushed tomatoes and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, stirring often, until sauce reduces and is thickened, about 25 to 30 minutes.

While sauce simmers, bring 4 quarts water to the boil in a large pot, add 1 tablespoon salt, and drop in pasta all at once, and cook according to package directions or until al dente. Drain pasta in a colander, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water, and transfer back to cooking pot.

When sauce has thickened, remove and discard bay leaf. Stir in cream, remaining 1/4 cup crushed tomatoes, and remaining 2 tablespoons wine, and cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Add sauce to cooked pasta and toss to combine, adjusting consistency with reserved pasta cooking water as necessary. Stir in basil. Serve immediately, passing freshly grated cheese separately.


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Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce Reviews

100% would make "Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce" again.

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Is this the same creamy tomato sauce that is on the Cook's Illustrated website? I hope it is because I really would like to try this recipe but dislike the fact that you have to pay for the recipe on the Cook's Illustrated website.

davidhunternycdavidhunternyc : comment : review posted 28w 1d ago.


[I made edits to this recipe.]

sgrishkasgrishka : : 1:00 total time : 0:30 active time : review posted 1y 25w 6d ago.


I strongly recommend using organic bottled or canned tomatoes. Organic tomatoes taste better because they contain less salt and other additives, and are generally a better quality tomato to begin with.

[I posted this recipe.]

sgrishkasgrishka : : 1:00 total time : 0:30 active time : review posted 1y 25w 6d ago.


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