Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let it brown.
- Pour in the diced tomatoes (with their juice), dried oregano, and red pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream, salt, and black pepper.
- Drain the cooked pasta and add it directly to the skillet with the sauce.
- Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and the grated Parmesan cheese. Toss everything together until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta evenly. If the sauce seems too thick, add a little more pasta water, one tablespoon at a time.
- Remove from heat. Stir in half of the fresh basil. Serve immediately, topped with the remaining fresh basil and extra Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
Using the starchy pasta water is key to achieving a creamy sauce without adding extra flour or butter. The starch helps emulsify the sauce.