Description
This Sun-Dried Tomato and Stracchino Pasta recipe features a creamy, flavorful sauce made from sun-dried tomatoes and soft stracchino cheese, tossed with al dente mafaldine pasta and topped with sautéed cherry tomatoes and Parmigiano Reggiano. Ready in just 20 minutes, it's a delicious and comforting Italian-inspired dish perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 lb (450g) Mafaldine pasta (or other pasta of choice)
Sauce
- 1 cup (150g) Sun-dried tomatoes (jarred in oil)
- ½ cup (110g) Stracchino cheese (can also use cream cheese)
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano (grated plus extra for serving)
Vegetables
- 1 cup (150g) Cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
Other
- Salt (to taste)
- Olive oil (about 1 tablespoon for sautéing)
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the mafaldine pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions, usually around 8-10 minutes. Drain, reserving some of the pasta water.
- Prepare the Sun-Dried Tomato Paste: In a food processor or using an immersion blender, combine 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, ½ cup stracchino cheese, 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and 1 garlic clove. Blitz until smooth and thick to form a creamy paste. Set aside.
- Sauté Cherry Tomatoes: Heat approximately 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and gently sauté for 1-2 minutes until they just start to soften. Remove the cherry tomatoes and set them aside.
- Make the Sauce: In the same pan, add the sun-dried tomato paste along with ½ cup of reserved pasta water. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes, allowing the sauce to emulsify and become smooth and creamy.
- Toss Pasta in Sauce: Add the cooked pasta to the pan and toss well to coat with the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add additional pasta water a little at a time until the desired consistency is achieved.
- Serve: Serve the pasta hot, topped with the sautéed cherry tomatoes and extra grated Parmigiano Reggiano for garnish. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- If stracchino cheese is unavailable, cream cheese can be used as a substitute but the flavor will be milder.
- For a more intense tomato flavor, use high-quality sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil.
- You can substitute mafaldine with other ribbon-shaped or tube pasta like fettuccine, linguine, or penne.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency for a silky finish.
- This dish is best enjoyed immediately but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
