Basic Parmesan Pomodoro
- 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 3 large, full stems basil
- Three 14-ounce cans peeled cherry tomatoes
- 1 carrot, peeled and halved
- 8 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, cut into 3-inch pieces
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound penne rigate pasta
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
- 3 to 4 tablespoons butter
- Heat a medium nonreactive saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add 1/3 cup of the oil and the garlic, and reduce the heat to medium.
- Cook the garlic, stirring often and mashing gently with a wooden spoon, until golden brown and beginning to soften, 5 minutes.
- Add the basil, tomatoes and their juices, the carrots and cheese rinds.
- Stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
- Bring to a simmer and adjust the heat to maintain a simmer.
- Cook for 35 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Add 1 teaspoon of the salt.
- Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
- Remove the rinds, carrots and basil.
- At this point you can use an immersion blender to puree slightly or leave it as a chunky sauce.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the penne 2 minutes less than the package directions.
- Meanwhile, rewarm the sauce in a large, straight-sided skillet set over medium heat.
- Using a spider, strain the pasta from the water and add it directly into the pan with sauce, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
- Before stirring, sprinkle the pasta with the grated cheese.
- Toss the pasta, cheese and sauce together.
- Add the butter, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the reserved pasta water and continue to cook until the sauce is creamy and the pasta is al dente.
- Serve topped with more cheese if desired.
extravirgin olive oil, garlic, full stems basil, three, carrot, rind, kosher salt, penne rigate, butter
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/basic-parmesan-pomodoro.html (may not work)