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Creamy Tuscan Pasta

Creamy Tuscan Pasta

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Servings: 4
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 cups milk room temperature (no less than 2%, whole milk is preferred)
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup aged firm cheese like cheddar, parmesan or gruyere
  • 400 g pasta I'm using Rigatoni
  • olive oil
  • salt I'm using Diamond Crystal Kosher
  • cracked black pepper

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of salty water to boil. Thinly slice 3 garlic cloves. Line a plate with paper towel, add 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes to the plate and pat to absorb excess oil. Roughly chop the sun dried tomatoes and set aside.
  2. Heat a large sauce pan or dutch oven on medium. Add 4 tbsp butter. When it foams, add sliced garlic and let cook until soft, about 1 minute. Add chopped sun dried tomatoes and 1/2 tsp oregano. Let the oregano bloom in the butter for a minute or so, then add 1 tbsp tomato paste and mix. Cook on medium until the tomatoes take on a dark red colour and the tomato paste beings to caramelize on the bottom of the pan, about 3 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, the water should be boiling. Drop 400g pasta and cook to al dente.
  4. Back in the sauce pan, slowly whisk in 2 cups room temperature milk. If you add the milk all at once, or if your milk is too cold, the sauce will split, so take your time here. Once the milk is incorporated, add 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup grated aged firm cheese, a pinch of salt and cracked black pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer and let reduce by 2/3, about 5 minutes.
  5. Save 1 cup pasta water and drain the rest. Transfer the cooked pasta to the reduced sauce and mix with remaining 1/2 cup firm aged cheese. Slowly pour in a few tablespoons of pasta water at a time, while you mix, until the sauce is cheesy and glossy. Top with more cracked black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve warm!

Notes

If your sauce has split, don't panic. Add a bit more heavy cream and whisk vigorously. Repeat until the sauce is well incorporated.