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Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce

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.
Servings: 4
Author: America's Test Kitchen

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.

Notes

  • This sauce is best served with short pasta, such as ziti, penne, or fusilli.