Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Rigatoni pasta
  • 1 tbsp Sea salt
  • 1 tbsp Oil reserved from sun-dried tomato jar
  • 3 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 small Shallot, finely minced
  • 1/2 tsp Red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup Sun-dried tomatoes, oil-packed and julienned
  • 1 tbsp Tomato paste
  • 1 cup Low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup Half-and-half
  • 1/2 cup Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup Fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
  • 1 tsp Fresh lemon zest
  • 1/4 tsp Freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1 tbsp of Sea salt. Drop in your 1 lb of Rigatoni and cook for about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Cook until the pasta has a firm bite (it will finish in the sauce). Before draining, save about a cup of that cloudy pasta water.
  2. In your large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the oil reserved from the sun dried tomato jar over medium heat. Add the 3 cloves of thinly sliced garlic and the minced shallot. Sauté until the shallots are translucent and the garlic is fragrant, usually about 3 minutes. Do not let the garlic turn dark brown, or it will taste bitter.
  3. Stir in 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes and 1 tbsp of tomato paste. Use your wooden spoon to mash the paste into the oil, cooking for 2 minutes until the paste turns a deep rust color. This step is vital for removing the raw metallic taste of the paste.
  4. Pour in 1 cup of low sodium chicken broth and add the 1/2 cup of julienned sun dried tomatoes. Scrape the bottom of the pan to release all those caramelized bits. Let it simmer for 3-5 minutes until the liquid reduces by nearly half.
  5. Lower the heat to medium low and pour in 1/2 cup of half and half. Whisk gently until the sauce is uniform in color. Add the cooked rigatoni directly into the skillet. Toss the pasta constantly while adding 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. If the sauce looks too thick, splash in a little of that reserved pasta water.
  6. Turn off the heat. Fold in the 1/2 cup of fresh basil chiffonade, 1 tsp of fresh lemon zest, and 1/4 tsp of freshly cracked black pepper. The residual heat will wilt the basil just enough to release its oils without turning it black. Serve immediately while the sauce is at its peak silkiness.