Creamy Tomato Pasta Recipe

This isn't your average weeknight pasta. It's a vibrant, creamy tomato dish with a gentle kick of chili, made with a magical technique where the spaghetti simmers directly in a flavour-packed broth. This coaxes out natural starches, creating a ridiculously silky sauce that clings to every single strand. The result is a deeply flavourful, restaurant-quality dish that is pure, simple indulgence.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 l water
• 5 g salt
• 8 ml olive oil (extra virgin)
• 300 g tomato puree
• 50 g Italian parsley
• 48 g fresh basil
• 20 ml olive oil
• 10 g garlic (about 3-4 cloves, minced)
• 1 whole red chili (finely chopped)
• 200 g pasta (dried spaghetti works best)
• 150 ml pomodoro sauce (of your choice!)
• 20 g parmesan cheese or pecorino romano (freshly grated)
• 120 ml light cream
• 20 g parmesan cheese or pecorino romano (freshly grated)
• basil leaves (extra for serving, optional)
• drizzle olive oil (for serving, optional)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1In a pot, combine the water, salt, olive oil, tomato purée, Italian parsley, and basil. Cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes to create the broth.
2. 2In a separate large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the minced garlic for 2 minutes until fragrant.
3. 3Add the finely chopped chili to the pan and sauté for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. 4Add the dry pasta to the pan and stir to coat it in the garlic and chili oil.
5. 5Pour in the Pomodoro sauce and half of the parmesan cheese or pecorino romanostir to combine.
6. 6Add a large spoonful of the hot broth to the pan. Keep stirring as the pasta begins to absorb it.
7. 7After about 4 minutes, add a second spoonful of broth to the pan.
8. 8Add a third spoonful of broth and continue stirring.
9. 9Continue cooking until the pasta is al dente, adding more broth if needed. Taste to check for doneness.
10. 10Once the pasta is cooked, lower the heat and stir in the cream until fully combined.
11. 11Plate the pasta and garnish with fresh basil leaves, the other half of the grated Parmesan cheese, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.