Tender pasta tossed with creamy sun-dried tomato sauce, garlic, Parmesan, and fresh basil for a quick meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz penne or rigatoni
02 - Salt, for pasta water
→ Sauce
03 - 2 tbsp olive oil (preferably from sun-dried tomato jar)
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
06 - 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
07 - ¾ cup heavy cream
08 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking water
10 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
11 - Salt, to taste
→ Garnish
12 - Handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
13 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water before draining.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, allowing flavors to blend.
04 - Reduce heat and add the heavy cream, stirring to combine. Simmer gently for 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
05 - Add cooked pasta and reserved pasta water to the skillet. Toss to coat evenly with the sauce.
06 - Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the pasta and toss until sauce is creamy and clings well. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
07 - Remove from heat and serve immediately, garnished with torn fresh basil leaves and extra Parmesan cheese.
