When I order pasta, or plan a pasta meal, I *rarely* go for a tomato sauce. Occasionally, I’ll go for a Bolognese. But usually, it’s pesto or carbonara for me. Plain old tomato sauce? Forget about it. Boooring. However! I decided to give a tomato sauce a whirl, because the thought of having a notably good basic pasta sauce in my back pocket was enticing. I thought that perhaps my disinterest in tomato sauce stemmed from only associating it with those jars of classic tomato sauce in the store that are pretty unexciting. So I figured the solution was to make one that was more remarkable.
And I was correct! Having just that little bit of mascarpone made it slightly creamy and cut some of the acidity of the tomato. Fresh basil is always a plus, and very easily on hand now thanks to my thriving basil plants. Otherwise, it’s really simple, with just garlic, shallots, and white wine competing for the flavor attention. They were harmonizing instead of competing.
This dish is incredibly simple, and very flexible. I think it would be great with another pasta classic – meatballs. I had chickpeas on hand though, so I used those. And it fits my criteria of being a recipe that you only need to get one or two ingredients for to plan it as a meal. I don’t keep mascarpone around, and I would need to get tomato puree anytime I want to make this. But otherwise, it’s just some pantry staples!
And some good old shakey cheese (the kind from the green container) is the perfect topping. While I may be snobby about store bought tomato sauce, I’ve come around to shakey cheese, and will not be snobby about that. So, cheers to mastering the basics!
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PinIngredients
- 15oz can tomato puree
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 shallot
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 heaped tbsp mascarpone
- 1 tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Handful of chopped basil
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- Your favorite pasta
- parmesan (measure with your heart)
Instructions
- Saute your minced garlic in olive oil until fragrant. Add in diced shallot and saute for another minute or two.
- Add in the white wine, let it bubble for about 2 minutes, and then add the tomato puree.
- Bring this to a gentle boil and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add the mascarpone and stir it together.
- Add the basil, parmesan, chickpeas*, and salt and pepper and then let it simmer for 10 minutes while you boil your pasta.
- Serve the sauce over the pasta, and top with parmesan. Enjoy!
*feel free to substitute whatever protein you want!