Tomato and Mascarpone Pasta -

Pasta with mascarpone, red pesto, basil and grated cheese

Tomato and Mascarpone Pasta

This rich and creamy tomato and mascarpone pasta is ready in just 30 minutes. Perfect for an easy, indulgent weeknight dinner that the whole family will love.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Pasta, Vegetarian

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 924kcal

Author Michelle Alston

Ingredients

350 g (5½ cups) Pennoni Rigato dry weight, other types of pasta will work just the same. Please be aware when measuring in cups that this is a large pasta, other types of pasta may measure in less cup quantities.
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 Echalion shallots (banana shallots) finely diced
3 cloves of garlic finely minced or put through a garlic press
½ tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes optional
6 slow-roasted sun-dried tomatoes roughly chopped
1 heaped tbsp red pesto use tomato puree if you can't find red pesto
1 400g (1 x 14oz) can of cherry tomatoes
150 g (¾ cup) mascarpone
30 g (¼ cup) of Pano Gradano finely grated, you can use other hard Italian cheese if you wish.
A small handful of fresh basil save some leaves for garnish and roughly chop the rest
½ teaspoon freshly ground sea salt + more for cooking the pasta
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package's instructions. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water before draining.
Heat the olive oil in a large deep-sided pan. Add the chopped shallots and sauté for 10 minutes, until soft and translucent.
Stir in the minced garlic, oregano, red chilli flakes and parsley and cook for another minute.
Pour in the cherry tomatoes, add the sundried tomatoes, red pesto or tomato puree(tomato paste). Pour in 2-3 tablespoons of the pasta water and stir well. Season with salt and black pepper. Let it simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced.
Stir the mascarpone into the tomato sauce until fully melted and creamy. Then add the grated Grana Padano and the chopped basil. Stir again until the cheese has melted.
Finally, add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it slightly. Check the seasoning again, then serve with a garnish of fresh basil leaves, grated Grana Padano, and a sprinkle of chilli flakes if you like.

Notes

Pasta - I have used a large pasta called Pennoni Rigata for this recipe but most types of pasta will work well.
Shallots - Because of their mild slightly sweet flavour shallots are best for this recipe as they don't overwhelm the smoothness of the sauce. You can use a regular onion if you wish but please be aware it may slightly alter the flavour.
Canned Cherry Tomatoes - I have used cherry tomatoes here as they have a more intense flavour but you can use regular chopped tomatoes if you can't find canned cherry tomatoes.
Nutritional Information - All nutritional information shared is an estimate based on third-party calculations. If calorie count and/or nutritional values are important to you, we recommend putting the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary depending on which brands were used. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
Weights and measurements - For US readers, I use Cuisipro measuring cups and spoons, and a Pyrex measuring jug for liquids. These are the industry standard. Cup/spoon volumes can differ from brand to brand, for accuracy, I recommend weighing all ingredients if possible for the best results.

Nutrition