Pasta con la ricotta e pomodoro

Sometimes all you need is some simple cheesy tomato pasta, it's my ideal comfort food. My inspiration for this recipe came from a jar of ricotta pasta from Aldi of all places. It's quite a tasty sauce but you just don't know what you are getting when you buy store-bought. I figured I could replicate their recipe handy enough. The tomato sauce is simple but takes a little bit of time just to get the right intensity, don't rush it.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tin of crushed tomatoes (try and get one with Italian herbs)

1/2 jar of passata (350ml)

1 large brown onion, finely diced

5 cloves of garlic, finely sliced

3 sprigs of basil, torn into small pieces

3 tbsp. of olive oil

1/2 tsp. chilli flakes

100g of smooth ricotta cheese

50g grated pecorino or parmigiiano cheese

300g of rigatoni pasta

Salt & pepper to taste

Grated pecorino or parmigiiano cheese to serve

Method

1. Heat the olive oil on a medium heat large pan. Add the onions and some salt and sauté them until they are brown and soft.

2. Add in the garlic and fry until fragrant.

3. Add in the tomatoes and the passata.

4. Add in the chilli flakes and some pepper and stir through.

5. Cook until the sauce starts to simmer, then reduce to a low heat.

6. The sauce takes about 30 minutes to reduce. Stir regularly so that the sauce doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.

7. When the sauce is halfway through its cooking, make the pasta according to the packet instructions.
   

8. Once the sauce has thickened up, add in the basil, ricotta and pecorino and heat through.

9. Stir in the cooked pasta.

10. Finish with some grated pecorino.

Note: this sauce is best eaten as soon as it's made.