Mozzarella and Sun-dried Tomato Pasta

Why This Recipe?

It's one of my favourite creamy pasta recipes. Sun-dried tomatoes are full of flavour and add a beautiful earthy tone to the sauce. It's also a cream sauce that doesn't involve a roux. The cheese and cream alone are more than enough to thicken it. On a hearty pasta like penne or bowties, it's a simple dish that never fails to impress the guests. If you really want meat, it pairs great with seafood like shrimp or scallops.

Ingredients

• 8 oz pasta
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 oz sun-dried tomatoes, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup half and half cream
• 1 cup mozzarella, shredded
• 1 tbsp dried basil (more if fresh)
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• ⅛ tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp salt

Instructions

1. Cook pasta. Save some pasta water (~1 cup).
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add and sauté sun-dried tomatoes and garlic until fragrant (1 minute).
4. Add half and half cream and bring to a boil.
5. Turn off heat and add mozzarella stirring constantly to combine.
6. Once sauce is formed, add basil, red pepper flakes, and paprika.
7. If sauce is too thick, add some reserved pasta water to thin as desired.
8. Add cooked pasta to sauce. Reheat gently if needed.
9. Add salt to taste.