Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound cavatappi pasta or other pasta of choice
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil (add 2 if you’re adding onions and mushrooms)
- 1 large tomato (cored and diced or 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (or 1/2 cup pasta water*)
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream or half & half
- 1 cup homemade or purchased pesto
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Optional additions:
- 8 ounces mushrooms (sliced)
- 1 medium onion (diced finely)
- 2 cooked chicken breasts (sliced)
Instructions
- In a large saucepan bring 4 quarts of water and salt to boil. Add pasta to the boiling water. Cook pasta for about 10-12 minutes or until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water if desired. Drain well.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. If using onions or mushrooms, cook them for 3-4 minutes, then add tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Stir in wine (or pasta water), cream, and almost bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook sauce until it has thickened slightly, about 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in pesto and heat sauce thoroughly.
- Toss pasta and pesto together. If adding chicken, place cooked slices on top of the pasta. Serve immediately and garnish with parmesan cheese.
Notes
We recommend organic ingredients if possible.
Wine definitely adds a lot of flavor but sometimes I don’t feel like opening a bottle of wine just to make this dish. So if you’re using pasta water instead of wine and want to add extra flavor, add some sherry to taste (about 1-2 tablespoons).
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
