Directions

1. Boil the pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving one cup of pasta water, and set aside.
2. Melt butter in a large, tall-sided, non-stick pan over medium heat. Stir in the chopped shallot with a generous pinch of salt, and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened and lightly browned.
3. Stir the tomato paste into the shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
4. Add chopped tomatoes and another generous pinch of salt to the pan. Cook the tomatoes for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to break down into a sauce.
5. Stir in sugar and half and half. Let the sauce simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.
6. Transfer the cooked pasta to the pan with the sauce. Sprinkle in the parmesan cheese, and toss to coat the pasta in cheese and sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash or two of reserved pasta water to loosen it. Taste the pasta and season with more salt if needed.
7. Stir in the fresh basil, or divide the pasta amongst warm plates and sprinkle with small fresh basil leaves and additional parmesan cheese before serving.

• Farfelle (bowtie) Pasta: This pasta shape can be substituted with penne pasta, rigatoni pasta, or your favorite pasta shape.
• Tomatoes: Quality tomatoes are important in this recipe! Because they are the main flavor contributor, using fresh, quality, ripe tomatoes is key to making this pasta as great as possible. We recommend using garden fresh or heirloom tomatoes when in season, or cherry or grape tomatoes.
• “Chopped” Tomatoes: Roughly chop the tomatoes into ½” or 1” pieces; no need to be exact!