Description
A rich and creamy tomato pasta sauce that combines tomato paste, cream, and parmesan for a luscious texture and bold flavors. Perfect for tossing with your favorite pasta to create a comforting and delicious meal in under 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) butter
- ½ onion finely chopped (about 70 grams)
- 3 garlic cloves finely diced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup (70 grams) tomato paste
- ¾ cup cream
- 40 grams parmesan finely grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt to taste
Pasta
- 200 grams dried pasta or 300 grams fresh pasta
Instructions
- Boil Pasta: Get a pot of heavily salted water boiling and cook the pasta. Time it so it finishes cooking just as the sauce is ready. If you need to drain pasta beforehand, reserve about ¼ cup of pasta water before draining.
- Sauté Onions: Heat olive oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, then add finely chopped onions. When sizzling, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 4-5 minutes until onions are soft.
- Add Garlic and Pepper: Stir in diced garlic and black pepper, cooking for 1-2 minutes on low heat to avoid browning.
- Incorporate Tomato Paste: Add tomato paste to the pan and whisk to combine, cooking for 1-2 minutes to bring out the flavor.
- Add Cream: On low to medium-low heat, gradually whisk in the cream to blend evenly, keeping the sauce at a very gentle simmer.
- Add Lemon Juice: Quickly whisk in the lemon juice. To avoid curdling, you can add it at the end with the pasta if preferred.
- Melt Parmesan: Add the finely grated parmesan in three portions, whisking well between additions to ensure it melts completely into the sauce.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked pasta directly into the sauce along with a splash (about ¼ cup) of reserved pasta water. Let it simmer gently for 1-2 minutes to thicken the sauce, loosening with more pasta water if necessary.
- Season and Serve: Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve hot with extra parmesan, black pepper, and fresh basil leaves if desired.
Notes
- Onion size may vary by region; a half onion typically weighs about 70 grams.
- Time your pasta cooking so it finishes just as your sauce is ready; this keeps everything hot and fresh.
- Always reserve some pasta water before draining as it’s essential for adjusting sauce consistency.
- The sauce might seem abundant initially but pasta absorbs it quickly; it’s better to have extra sauce than too little.
- For added freshness, serve with extra parmesan, black pepper, and fresh basil leaves.
- Pair this sauce with a crisp iceberg wedge salad for a complete meal.
