Tricolor Pasta
Serves 2 · Prep: 10 minutes · Cook: 15 minutes · Total: about 25 minutes
I had this at a restaurant and immediately wanted to make it at home. It’s simple in the way a lot of good pasta is simple: fresh ribbons, tomato cream sauce, basil on top. The tricolor pasta makes it look a little more special, but the actual dish is mostly about getting the sauce glossy enough to cling to the noodles.
For the closest version, use fresh tricolor tagliatelle if you can find it. The sauce should be smooth and orange-red, more tomato than cream, with just enough Parmesan and pasta water to pull everything together.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 8 oz fresh tricolor tagliatelle, fettuccine, or tagliolini
- Salt, for the pasta water
Tomato Cream Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ cup tomato passata or smooth crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- 6 to 8 basil leaves, torn
- Black pepper
- Pinch of sugar (optional)
- ¼ to ½ cup reserved pasta water, as needed
To Serve
- Fresh basil leaves
- Chopped parsley (optional)
- Extra Parmesan (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Start the sauce
Heat the olive oil and butter in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- 2
Add the tomato
Stir in the passata or smooth crushed tomatoes. Season with a pinch of salt, black pepper, and a tiny pinch of sugar if the tomato tastes sharp. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- 3
Add the cream
Lower the heat and stir in the cream. The sauce should turn orange-red and look smooth. Keep it warm over low heat.
- 4
Cook the pasta
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fresh pasta and cook until just tender, usually 2 to 4 minutes. Before draining, save at least ½ cup of pasta water.
- 5
Finish the pasta in the sauce
Add the drained pasta directly to the pan. Add the Parmesan, torn basil, and a splash of pasta water. Toss gently until the sauce coats the noodles. Add more pasta water a little at a time if the sauce feels too thick.
- 6
Plate
Twirl the pasta into shallow bowls. Top with fresh basil, a little parsley if using, and extra Parmesan if you want.
Recipe notes
Cook’s notes
- Use fresh pasta if possible.
- Passata gives the smoothest sauce. If using canned crushed tomatoes, blend them first.
- Keep the cream light. This should taste like tomato sauce rounded out with cream, not a heavy cream sauce.
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