Shelly's Recipe

PACCHERI AL CARDINALE

Category: Pasta

3/4 cup olive oil
8 garlic cloves, chopped
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound paccheri (tube-shaped pasta) or rigatoni
1/2 cup grated pecorino
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 cup grated smoked mozzarella
20 basil leaves, cut into slivers
1 cup fresh riccotta

To make tomato sauce: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add garlic and saute about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, about 30 minutes, until thick.

To make the paccheri: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add paccheri and cook until not quite al dente.

Add the grated cheeses to the thickened tomato sauce and stir until the mozzarella melts. Stir in the basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Use a spider (a mesh dipper for separating food from a liquid) to lift the paccheri out of the water and into the sauce. Toss to coat, then transfer to a 4-quart casserole. Bake (with or without a cover of parchment paper) for 20 minutes, until pasta is piping hot. Bring dish to the table, and if using parchment, cut an X in the paper and gently tear back the points. Spoon some ricotta onto each portion. Serves 4 to 6.