This is one of those recipes that evolved over time and it keeps getting better. You don’t need any cooking skills to prepare it, it’s so easy and forgiving to mistakes. On top of that it tastes amazing. It’s great on its own for those days where you just can’t be bothered or as a base to expand upon. All you need are pantry staples, cheese and pasta. I prefer fresh (store-bought) ravioli or tortellini with this, but any kind of pasta will do.
Feeds 1 / 15-20 minutes cooking time / original recipe
- 200-300g of pasta of your choice
- 200g of mascarpone cheese
- 50 ml of (soy) cream or milk
- 1-2 tablespoons of tomato puree (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon of minced or pressed garlic
- 1 teaspoon of powdered beef stock (check ‘My pantry’ for more information)
- freshly ground black pepper and salt (to taste)
- grated parmesan to “garnish”
Start by bringing a pot of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook to your preference or follow the instructions on the packet.
Next gather all the ingredients. Put a pan or saucepan on a medium to high heat and sweat the garlic. As soon as the smell starts to spread, add the mascarpone, cream or milk and the tomato puree. Stir well to combine all the ingredients. Add the powdered beef stock, salt and pepper. Stir again and let the sauce simmer for a minute or two.
Drain the cooked pasta and mix it with the sauce. Heap on the grated parmesan and tuck in.
Enjoy!
Confession
This dish can be healthier by using a light cream cheese instead of the mascarpone. Vegetarian? Use powdered vegetable stock instead of the beef stock. If you’re cooking regular pasta, try tossing some bacon or cured meat in with the garlic. That will make it even better.
Confessions of a Foodie 