Honey
Angel Hair Pasta in a Light Tomato Cream Sauce
- Serves 4-6
Author Notes
Delicate angel hair pasta tossed in a velvety-smooth tomato cream sauce with a flurry of grated Parmesan and Thai basil is the kind of meal that makes you wonder how something so easy can taste so unbelievably good. Thai basil is fresh and peppery against the lush sauce. Just a half a cup of light cream is all that's needed for a luxurious texture. The brightness of the tomatoes shine through the mellow cream. There's a classic balance of flavors, each one holding its own special place in the dish. The inspiration for this sauce came from Pioneer Woman's creamy tomato sauce. I used her suggestion of canned tomato sauce instead of canned plum tomatoes or canned whole peeled tomatoes. Tomato sauce has more body than the other choices which is a good thing here. From there, I veered off in my own direction. I decided on using light cream instead of heavy cream which most recipes suggest. A half cup of light cream is all that's needed for a luscious sauce that's neither too rich nor too heavy.
The wine adds another layer of flavor that I love but you can leave it out with good results.
Thai basil gives this simple, voluptuous pasta dish a unique, lively kick. Regular basil would be just fine too. —Jilly Inspired
Ingredients
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2
medium onions, diced
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2
15 ounce cans of Muir Glen Organic Tomato Sauce
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2
garlic cloves, minced. I use a microplane zester for this.
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rizzle of honey or a couple of pinches of sugar to balance the acid in the tomatoes
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1/3 cup
red wine. I used a Cabernet Sauvignon. Use a wine that you'd drink.
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1/2 cup
light cream
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handful of fresh Thai basil or regular basil, torn or chopped.
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1/2 teaspoon
dried oregano, rub it between your fingers when adding it to the sauce to release the flavor.
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2
dried bay leaves, remember to remove them from the sauce before serving
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extra virgin olive oil for cooking the onions
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sea salt or kosher salt to taste
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fresh cracked pepper
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Parmesan cheese for serving
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1 lb box of angel hair pasta cooked al dente, according to the package instructions.
Directions
- Saute the onions in some olive oil, salt and pepper in a medium pot over medium heat until tender. Once the onions are soft, add the oregano, wine, tomato sauce, garlic, bay leaves, more pepper and a pinch of salt and a drizzle of honey. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and gently simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes or until the flavors have softened and melded together. Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves and slowly stir in the light cream. Sprinkle with fresh chopped basil. Toss the cooked pasta with some of the sauce. Serve individual portions of the angel hair with sauce to each person's taste topped with more fresh basil and Parmesan cheese. Crusty bread and a glass of Italian red wine are also wonderful serving choices. Enjoy!
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