Cheesy Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

By Stef -

This was okay- it gets a 6. I added zucchini and squash to the sauce, but is was still just so-so. I got the recipe from annies-eats.com.

Cheesy Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce
Yield: about 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 oz. pasta shapes, such as gemelli
  • 1 (28 oz.) can peeled whole tomatoes, with juices
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • ½ small onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
  • ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp. tomato paste
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 6 oz. mozzarella, cubed
  • 1 pint oven-roasted tomatoes
  • ¼-½ cup heavy cream I used half and half 
  • Minced fresh basil, to finish

DIRECTIONS

  • Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the pasta to the pot and cook according to the package directions, stopping 2 minutes before the recommended cooking time. Remove from the heat and drain well.
  • Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Add the tomatoes with juices to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and pulse until mostly smooth. Melt the butter in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes and tomato paste and cook just until fragrant and the tomato paste begins to brown, about 1 minute. Pour in the pureed tomato mixture, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer until the sauce is reduced by nearly half and thickened, about 6-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the cream.
  • Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cooked pasta, mozzarella, and oven roasted tomatoes. (If your skillet is too small, just use any baking dish that will fit everything.) Transfer to the oven and bake 10-12 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Remove from the oven, let cool a few minutes, then top with the basil and serve warm.

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