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Ingredients
- 250 g dry penne pasta
- 200 ml cooking cream
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 80 g Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 100 g tomato paste
- 1 large red onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
Steps
- 1Cook the pasta: In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Once the water boils, add salt, then add the penne pasta. Cook over medium heat for 10–12 minutes, or according to package instructions, until al dente (firm to the bite). Before draining, set aside one cup (approx. 125 ml) of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- 2Prepare the vegetables: Clean the red onion and garlic. Finely chop the onion, and crush or finely mince the garlic. Also chop the fresh basil.
- 3Prepare the sauce: In a deep pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 2–3 minutes. Then add the garlic and chili flakes, and sauté for another 30–60 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste and sauté for another 1 minute.
- 4Thicken: Pour in the cooking cream, add the cayenne pepper and chopped basil. Cook over low heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 5Assemble the dish: Add the drained pasta and the reserved cooking water to the sauce. Mix thoroughly so that the sauce coats all the pasta. Finally, add the butter and finely grated Parmesan. Stir for 1–2 minutes over low heat until the cheese and butter are completely melted and form a creamy coating on the pasta.
- 6Serving: Divide the finished creamy tomato pasta into plates and serve immediately. You can garnish with extra basil or Parmesan.
