Creamy Tomato Pasta and Pancetta and Shallots

An easy and good Creamy Tomato Pasta. Tomatoes mixed with mascarpone cheese, salty pancetta, shallots and a pinch of chilli flakes for a little heat. This recipe is so easy, ready in under 30 minutes and is packed full of flavour.

When you're craving something comforting and good but don't have a lot of time on your hands this creamy tomato pasta is the one.

Not only is it quick to make but it's got so much flavour. A rich tomato cream sauce made with tomato passata (tomato puree in the US) mixed with mascarpone cheese, crispy pancetta, shallots and a pinch of red pepper flakes (chilli flakes).

Toss it with your favourite pasta and grab a slice of crusty bread or homemade focaccia to mop up all that good sauce.

If you're looking for something similar without the pancetta and shallots, then our Pasta alla Vittorio is a must-try. It's another rich and creamy tomato sauce with lots of flavour.

Ingredients – what you need

See the photo below that shows you everything you need to make this recipe plus some important tips on ingredients!

• Pasta – you can use pretty much any pasta shape you like, we used fusilli.
• Passata – tomato passata is known as tomato puree in the US. It's smooth, pureed tomatoes in a jar and shouldn't have any garlic or herbs added.
• Mascarpone – a couple of tablespoons creates a rich and good creamy tomato sauce
• White wine – this is used to deglaze the pan after frying the pancetta and it adds a good depth of flavour to the sauce. Use an Italian white such as Pinot Grigio, Pecorino, or Vermentino.
• Pancetta – we used pancetta cut into cubes.
• Shallots – two small-medium shallots finely sliced.
• Red pepper flakes – we add a pinch for a subtle heat, you can leave them out if you prefer.

Step by step photos and recipe instructions

Step 1 – Add olive oil to a large pan and brown the pancetta until lightly golden. Add the shallots and red pepper flakes and saute until soft (photos 1-3).

Step 2 – Add the wine and reduce it by half (simmer until half the liquid remains). Add the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. After 5 minutes, start cooking the pasta (photos 4 & 5).

Step 3 – add the mascarpone, stir and simmer for a few more minutes until the pasta is done (photos 6 & 7).

Step 4 – transfer the pasta to the creamy tomato sauce and stir until thoroughly combined, serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (photo 8).

Recipe tips and FAQs

• Italian tomato passata – this is smooth pureed tomatoes sold in tall jars, it does not have any added sugar, flavouring, herbs, garlic etc it's pure tomato and it's great for creating good sauces. In the US it's called tomato puree (it is not tomato concentrate), the brands we use are Mutti or Cirio.
• Adjust chilli flakes to taste – you can leave them out or add more to taste.
• What pasta to use – use any pasta shape you like, short pasta shapes work well.
• Reserving pasta water – there should be enough sauce here that you don't need to emulsify it with pasta water but it's always a good idea to reserve a little in case.

Can we use cream instead of mascarpone?

Absolutely, add around 2-3 tablespoons of cream, stir it in then add more to taste.

Can we make this without wine?

Yes, you can leave it out altogether there's no need to replace it with anything.

How long do leftovers last?

Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be eaten cold or reheated. Reheat on the stovetop with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.

More easy pasta recipes you might like

• Creamy 'Nduja Pasta with Baby Spinach
• Shrimp Spaghetti with 'Nduja and Lemon
• Sausage and Cavolo Nero Pasta
• Easy Tuna Pasta with Tomatoes and Capers
• Pasta al Limone (Creamy Lemon Pasta)

Ingredients

Makes 4 - 6 servings

• 1 lb short pasta ((450g))
• 3 cups passata (tomato puree in US) ((680g))
• 2 shallots (finely sliced)
• 1 ¼ cup pancetta ((160g))
• ⅓ cup white wine ((70ml))
• 2 tablespoons mascarpone ((60g))
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes ((chilli flakes))
• salt (to season)
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• Parmigiano Reggiano (for topping)

Method

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, once boiling add a generous amount of salt.

2. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large pan and add the pancetta, fry until lightly golden then add the sliced shallots and red pepper flakes. Saute until soft (1-2 minutes).

3. Add the wine and reduce it by half. Add the tomatoes and a good pinch of salt and stir, simmer for 10 minutes.

4. After 5 minutes, add the pasta to the water and cook until al dente (about 8-9 minutes depending on shape and brand).

5. After simmering the sauce, add the mascarpone and stir in and simmer for a few more minutes until the pasta is done. Add the pasta to the sauce and stir to combine, serve with freshly grated parmigian reggiano.

Kitchen notes

• Italian tomato passata this is smooth pureed tomatoes sold in tall jars, it does not have any added sugar, flavouring, herbs, garlic etc it's pure tomato and it's great for creating good sauces. In the US it's called tomato puree (it is not tomato concentrate), the brands we use are Mutti or Cirio.
• Adjust chilli flakes to taste you can leave them out or add more to taste.
• What pasta to use use any pasta shape you like, short pasta shapes work well.
• Reserving pasta water there should be enough sauce here that you don't need to emulsify it with pasta water but it's always a good idea to reserve a little in case.
• Leftovers leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be eaten cold or reheated on the stovetop. Add a splash of water when reheating to loosen the sauce.