Basil and Garlic Infused Tomato Sauce

Infused Oil

1. Combine the olive oil, fresh basil, garlic cloves and red pepper flakes in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Let it simmer for two minutes. Take the pan off the heat and let it infuse.

2. Once cooled down, blend everything together in a small food chopper or blender. Only blend till coarsely chopped up, you don't want to blend it to a fine green paste. Alternatively you can remove the basil and garlic with a slotted spoon to a cutting board and mince with a knife till finely chopped. Return this to the oil and pepper flakes and stir together. Set aside till needed in the tomato sauce.

Tomato Sauce

1. Slice the onion in half, through the root and stem portion. Remove the outer skins, but leave the root intact to hold the onion halves together while they cook.

2. Add the butter and 1 tbsp of olive oil to the medium large heavy bottomed pot like a dutch oven . Let it cook down over medium high, till fragrant and turning a lovely golden brown. Add the halved onion, cut side down. Let the onions sear in the butter till the exposed cut bottoms take on a burnish and a golden brown crust is forming, about 2-3 minutes.

3. Add the tomato passata gently and slowly (or else it will splatter!) It may be best to stand back as you pour it in, since the oil will sputter. Let it come to a gentle boil. Add salt to taste, and reduce the heat to low. Cover with a lid and simmer for 25 minutes.

4. Add the basil and garlic infused olive oil to the pot and simmer for another 10 minutes, uncovered. Taste and re-season as desired. If you find the tomato sauce tastes too acidic, add a teaspoon of sugar to help balance the flavour.

Pesto Cream

1. At the same time that you are preparing the pesto cream, you can be cooking the pasta. Drain it and set aside. You will not need to reserve any pasta water as the cream sauce will be enough to coat the pasta comfortably.

2. In a small sauce pan add the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Let it cook down, and thicken, about three minutes, till you have reduced the cream by a few tablespoons.

3. Add the 1/2 cup of pesto and stir through the cream. Continue to cook, reducing the heat to medium low so that the basil doesn't turn colour (if the heat is too high the basil can turn black). Let it simmer till thickened, about three to four minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.

4. Add the drained pasta to a bowl. Pour the pesto cream over it, along with the remaining two tablespoons of pesto sauce. Toss well to coat. Add the chopped basil and give it a final toss.

Serve

1. Place a few large spoonfuls of the Infused Tomato Sauce at the bottom of a pasta bowl or rimmed plate. It should be enough to cover the bottom, about 1/2 cup in total.

2. Twirl the pesto cream pasta and place on top of the tomato sauce. Continue until all the pasta is placed decoratively over the sauce. Garnish with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

3. See blog post for more details and serving suggestions.