Description
A creamy and flavorful pasta dish that’s quick to make and easy to customize to your taste.
Ingredients
- 16 oz rigatoni or penne
- 1 cup reserved cooking water
- Salt for boiling water
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2/3 cup tomato paste
- 1 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (plus extra if desired)
- 2 tsp dried basil
- Black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (add more if preferred)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- Additional chopped parsley
- Extra red pepper flakes
- More grated parmesan
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of water with salt. Cook rigatoni or penne until al dente, reserving 1 cup of cooking water before draining.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté garlic for about 30 seconds.
- Add tomato paste, heavy cream, crushed red pepper flakes, and basil. Simmer for a few minutes.
- Gradually stir in reserved pasta water until the sauce thickens.
- Toss in the drained pasta, seasoning with black pepper.
- Mix in parmesan cheese and butter until combined.
- Serve warm, garnished with parsley, red pepper flakes, and extra parmesan if desired.
Notes
For best texture, cook pasta al dente. Adjust heat with red pepper flakes to taste. Adding fresh herbs can enhance the flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian