Cuban Pasta
Cuban Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ pound Spanish chorizo sausage
- ¾ pound Serrano ham
- 2 small shallots, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups Italian crushed tomatoes
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons vino seco (dry white cooking wine)
- 10 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, plus fresh oregano for serving
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 pound dry rigatoni pasta
- 2 cups coarsely grated fontina cheese
- 8 ounces burrata cheese, torn for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit.
- Cut off each end of chorizo and cut lengthwise in half. Cut each half in half again ending up with quarters. Cut ham in cubes. Set aside.
- In a large dutch oven or pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and ham, and cook for 3 minutes, until some of the fat is rendered from the meats. Add the onion, and red bell pepper, and reduce the heat to medium, cook for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic; sauté for 30 seconds (making sure garlic does not burn). Add crushed tomatoes, cream, vino seco, basil, oregano, paprika, and salt + pepper; cook for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the cream. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta for 7 minutes, it will be slightly under al dente (it will continue to cook while baking). Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water; drain and add pasta to the pan with the sauce. Add half of the fontina cheese; toss to evenly coat pasta with the sauce, add in some of the pasta water if needed to thin the sauce. Transfer into a large baking dish sprinkle remaining fontina and bake 20-25 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is lightly browned on top.
- Transfer the pasta to serving bowls and top each with burrata. Drizzle with olive oil and fresh oregano. Enjoy!