Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce

4 Servings
100% would make this recipe for Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce again.

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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Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce Ingredients

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

Instructions for Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce

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.

Main Ingredient: TomatoesCuisine: Italian

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sun-dried tomatoes red pepper flakes unsalted butter Italian Main Dish Sauces Side Dish Boil Simmer Easy prosciutto pork onion bay leaf Salt garlic tomato paste tomatoes pasta heavy cream basil parmesan Saute Tomatoes

for flavor and categorization

[I made edits to this recipe.]

sgrishka
on May 10 2008 7:36PM

Total Time: 1:00
Active time: 0:30

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.]

sgrishka
on May 10 2008 7:13PM

Total Time: 1:00
Active time: 0:30