- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total time
- 50 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- EASY
- Calories
- 530 kcal
Quick summary
“Penne with pink sauce combines peeled tomatoes sautéed in olive oil with garlic and the velvety consistency of heavy cream. The result is a pinkish sauce in which the natural acidity of the fruit is attenuated by the milky notes, creating a smooth and balanced profile. The tubular shape of the penne retains the creamy sauce in its outer ridges and inside the cylinder. Finished with grated parmesan cheese and emulsified with the pasta water, it is a functional and efficient preparation for quick meals.”
What you need to know
- Brown the minced garlic in olive oil over low heat without burning to avoid bitter notes in the sauce.
- Cook the peeled tomato for 10 minutes, breaking up the pieces to form a homogeneous base.
- Incorporate the heavy cream over low heat for 5 minutes to emulsify the ingredients without curdling.
Ingredients
Main
- 300g penne
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can of peeled tomatoes
- 200ml of heavy cream
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Grated parmesan cheese to taste
Instructions
Principal
- In a large pot, cook the penne in boiling salted water, following the package instructions until al dente.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic and saute until golden brown, taking care not to burn.
- Add the peeled tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes, mashing the tomatoes with a wooden spoon until a sauce forms.
- Add the heavy cream to the sauce and mix well, cooking for another 5 minutes to incorporate the flavors.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- When draining the penne, reserve some of the cooking water.
- Mix the penne into the sauce in the skillet, adding a little of the cooking water if necessary to loosen the sauce.
- Finish with grated parmesan cheese on top before serving.
Chef's tips
- Reserve half a ladle of the penne cooking water to loosen and bind the sauce in the skillet.
- Mash the peeled tomatoes with a wooden spoon to keep small pieces of pulp throughout the dish.
- Leave the pasta al dente so it finishes cooking wrapped in the heat of the pink sauce.
Variations
- Pink with chicken: Add grilled chicken breast cubes before incorporating the heavy cream.
- Spicy Rose: add a pinch of dried red pepper flakes to the olive oil along with the minced garlic.
- Pink with basil: add torn fresh basil leaves when turning off the heat of the sauce.
Substitutions
- Penne can be swapped for rigatoni or fusilli, short pastas that retain creams effectively.
- The canned peeled tomatoes can be substituted with 400g of ripe, peeled and chopped Roma tomatoes.
- The olive oil can be replaced by a tablespoon of unsalted butter in the sauté.
How to store
Guarde em pote hermético na geladeira por até 3 dias. Aqueça em fogo baixo com duas colheres de leite ou água filtrada para restaurar a textura lisa sem secar o penne.
Can it be frozen?
We do not recommend freezing the finished dish with the heavy cream and pasta, as the emulsion breaks when thawing. Freeze only the cooked peeled tomato base for up to 90 days.
What to serve with
Serve in heated deep plates, spreading the sauce all over the pasta. Finish by sprinkling finely grated parmesan cheese and a subtle pinch of freshly ground black pepper.
Frequently asked questions
Why save the pasta cooking water?
The cooking water is rich in starch released by the penne. When mixing a few spoonfuls of this water into the sauce with the pasta, it helps to emulsify the fat and makes the cream adhere perfectly to the noodles.
What is the right time to add the Parmesan cheese?
The grated parmesan should be added on top of the individual plates right after serving, preserving its fresh aroma without burning or hardening in the skillet.
Can I use ready-made tomato sauce from a sachet?
It can be used, but canned peeled tomatoes offer fresher flavor and fewer additives or sugars, ensuring a pink sauce base with cleaner acidity and superior texture.
Can heavy cream curdle when mixed with tomato sauce?
Yes, the acidity combined with intense boiling can separate the whey from the cream. To avoid this, reduce the heat to the minimum before adding the cream and do not let the mixture boil vigorously.
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