For a smooth, full-flavored pasta sauce recipe in which the tomatoes and cream would complement each other, we combined crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and sun-dried tomatoes and added the cream to the finished tomato mixture at the last minute.
Notes
- This sauce is best served with short pasta, such as ziti, penne, or fusilli.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 ounce prosciutto - minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 small onion - diced fine (about 3/4 cup)
- 1 bay leaf
- pinch red pepper flakes
- table salt
- 3 medium garlic cloves - minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 ounces oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes - drained, rinsed, patted dry, and chopped coarse (about 3 tablespoons)
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes - plus 2 tablespoons, from one 28-ounce can
- ¼ cup dry white wine - plus 2 tablespoons
- 1 pound pasta - see note
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ground black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- grated Parmesan cheese - for serving
Instructions
Cook the aromatics:
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the prosciutto, onion, bay leaf, pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is very soft and beginning to turn light gold, 8 to 12 minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium-high, add the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Make the sauce:
- Stir in the tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly darkened, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add 1/4 cup wine and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add 2 cups of crushed tomatoes and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened (a spoon should leave a trail when dragged through the sauce), 25 to 30 minutes.
Cook the pasta:
- Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil.
- Add the pasta and 1 tablespoon of table salt and cook until al dente.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water; drain the pasta and transfer back to the cooking pot.
Finish and serve:
- Remove the bay leaf from the sauce and discard.
- Stir the cream, the remaining 2 tablespoons of crushed tomatoes, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of wine into the sauce.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Add the sauce to the cooked pasta, adjusting the consistency with up to 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water.
- Stir in the basil and serve immediately, passing Parmesan separately.