Creamy Tomato Rigatoni
A judicious amount of heavy cream enriches this simple tomato sauce, producing a lush texture that clings to the pasta without blanketing richness. Crushing the canned tomatoes by hand creates a rustic mixture of tomato pulp, pieces, and puree. This recipe is inspired by sommelier Derrick C. Westbrook of 1340 Beer Wine Spirits in Chicago, who named it his ideal dish for pairing with wine. “My first restaurant job was at an Italian restaurant; I’d ask the pasta cook to mix red sauce with a splash of cream, a riff on vodka sauce," he says. "I still love creamy tomato sauce on short pasta, paired with juicy, fresh red wines like Zweigelt or unoaked Cabernet Franc that offer just a touch of funk and medium acidity.”
October 2020