Bow Tie Pasta With Roasted Red Pepper And Cream Sauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb uncooked bow tie pasta
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 (12 ounce) bottle roasted red peppers, drained and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup finely grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, divided
thinly sliced fresh basil (optional)

Preparation

Cook the pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.
Add bell peppers, cook 2 minutes or until heated through. Increase heat to medium-high. Stir in vinegar, cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates.
Remove from heat, cool 5 minutes.
Place bell pepper mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Return bell pepper mixture to pan, cook over low heat until warm.
Combine half and half and tomato paste in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until well combined. Stir in ground red pepper.
Combine pasta and bell pepper mixture in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup cheese, tossing to coat. Spoon 1 1/3 cups pasta into each of 6 bowls, top each with about 1 1/2 Tbs cheese.
Garnish with basil if desired.