Princess Party Cookbook, p. 31
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Two 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes
4 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, quartered
¼ cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoons sugar
1 pound pasta shapes (hearts are fun,
otherwise penne are good)
2/3 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper
A small handful of basil leaves (shredded
if large)
4 ounces smoked salmon, cut into thin
strips (optional)
Grated Parmesan, to serve
Don't listen to the haters, smoked salmon. You're never optional to me.
Heat the oil in a wok or large saucepan and saute the onion for 7 to 8 minutes, until soft.
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| It's a happy beginning to a pasta sauce! |
Add the garlic and balsamic vinegar and
cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the vinegar has evaporated. Transfer to a
blender and add all of the tomato ingredients, then blend until smooth.
Return the tomato sauce to the wok or pan and add the
sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes,
until thick and reduced by about half. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in lightly
salted boiling water following the package instructions. Reserve a cupful of
the pasta cooking water when draining the pasta.
Add the cream to the sauce and season to taste with
salt and pepper. Add the drained pasta and toss to coat , adding a little of
the pasta cooking water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if the sauce becomes too
thick.
Spoon the pasta onto warmed plates and sprinkle with
the basil and smoked salmon, if using. Serve with the grated Parmesan.
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| It was at this point, when I went to add the basil leaves, that I realized that my basil plant had just sat there and died without telling me. I'm sure it would have added nice dimension to everything, though. |
My Rating: 3/5 "There's so much attention to detail in the flavors that add up to make this dish, but unfortunately that meticulousness doesn't really shine through in the final product. The salmon is the best part (optional my ass) but there isn't enough of it to hit a home run. The sauce, for all it's so complex, doesn't pop much better than something out of a jar would. Surely there's something to be done to salvage this - I hate for culinary sophistication to go to waste."
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