Quick & Easy Creamy Basil and Tomato Sauce over Fresh Pasta

SarasotaCook's Note:

This is a favorite quick sauce for pasta. I love to serve this with fresh pasta, basil and tomatoes. It takes only minutes and is so easy ... but so good. Serve with with a fresh green salad and of course some crusty bread.

• Total Time: 20 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 4

Yield: 4.0

• 1 lb fresh pasta (linguini is what I prefer and you could also use spaghetti)
• 1 (15 ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (room temperature)
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese
• 2 ½ cups plum tomatoes (lightly seeded and rough chopped)
• 1 cup kalamata olive , cut in half
• 1 small onion (cut in half and thin sliced)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ½ cup fresh basil , chopped
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• salt
• pepper

Garnish

• grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Sauce -- In a large pan heat up the chicken broth to medium heat. Stir in the cream cheese until soft. Using a fork or small whisk, mix until well combined. Slowly add in the parmesan cheese, garlic, red pepper flakes and pepper (hold off on the salt) and mix well until heated through.
2. Pasta -- Cook the pasta according to directions in salted water. Once done, drain (reserve 1 cup of the pasta water) and set to the side.
3. Finish the Sauce -- Now the sauce is heated all the way through and the cheeses are melted, add in the olives, tomatoes and basil. Toss well and then check for salt. I like to add a little, but remember the broth and olives are both salty, so just add a little. Add in the pasta directly to the sauce and toss well. If you prefer your sauce a little thinner, add some of the pasta water. Garnish with fresh parmesan.
4. Even though it is a rich sauce, the tomatoes and olives make it a very light pasta dish. It is great for a quick night dinner. Literally just 15-20 minutes to cook and it is on the table.

Reviews

[Chef #1312339]

Very good... I did alter a little bit... I cut out the olives and the onion... and I used garlic powder instead of the fresh garlic... but still turned out well... The only thing I would change for next time is to add some extra seasoning...