Jo’s Spicy Tomato Mascarpone Pasta

Sep 13

This Spicy Tomato Mascarpone Pasta is one of those simple dishes that became a staple for me during my first year of culinary school in Florence. After spending all day cooking in class, I’d come home wanting something comforting and delicious—but, understandably, nothing that required another elaborate cooking session.

This was the kind of pasta I’d throw together for myself: dried pasta tossed in a spicy tomato sauce made from passata, garlic, shallot, red wine, herbs, and a spoonful of mascarpone to make everything silky and creamy. Speck or pancetta adds a salty, savory bite, while plenty of fresh basil and parsley keep the sauce bright.

It comes together with fairly simple ingredients but still feels like something special—which is exactly why I kept coming back to it after long days at school. Let’s get cookin’!

INGREDIENTS

12 ounces dried pasta, shape of your choice
4 ounces speck, pancetta, or bacon, diced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1 small shallot, finely minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
½–1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste or 2–3 dried peperoncini, finely chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ cup dry red wine, such as Chianti
2 cups tomato passata
¼ cup mascarpone
¼ cup chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½–1 cup reserved pasta water, as needed
Freshly grated Parmesan or dollops of ricotta, for serving

Instructions

Bring the pasta water to a boil
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until just al dente. Before draining, reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water.
While the water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, make the sauce.
Crisp the speck, pancetta, or bacon
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the speck, pancetta, or bacon and cook until lightly browned and the fat has rendered. If using bacon and it releases quite a bit of fat, you can remove a little before continuing with the sauce, leaving enough behind to sauté the shallot.
Build the flavor base
Add the shallot and cook for 2–3 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, and paprika and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.
Deglaze with red wine
Pour in the red wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine simmer for 1–2 minutes, until slightly reduced.
Add the tomato passata
Pour in the passata and stir everything together. Season with black pepper and a small pinch of kosher salt. Keep in mind that the speck or pancetta and Parmesan are already salty, so you can always add more later.
Reduce the heat and allow the sauce to gently simmer for about 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and the flavors have come together.
Make it creamy
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the mascarpone until completely melted into the tomato sauce. Add the chopped parsley and basil.
Toss with the pasta
Transfer the al dente pasta directly into the skillet and toss until thoroughly coated in the sauce.
Add reserved pasta water a splash at a time as needed, tossing continuously, until the sauce is glossy and clings beautifully to the pasta.
Finish and serve
Taste and adjust the salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes as needed. Divide among bowls and finish with freshly grated Parmesan or dollops of ricotta, fresh basil, and a drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil if you like. Enjoy!

Jo’s Tips

Use tomato passata, not tomato paste. Passata gives you a smooth tomato sauce without requiring a long cooking time, which is part of what makes this pasta so easy.

Don't skip the pasta water. The starchy cooking water helps loosen the sauce while also helping it cling to the pasta. Reserve some before you drain—you can always add more, but you can't get it back!

Add the mascarpone over low heat. Once the tomato sauce has simmered, lower the heat before stirring in the mascarpone. You want it to gently melt into the sauce and make it silky and creamy.

Adjust the spice to your taste. Start with ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes if you prefer moderate heat. If you like things spicy like I do, increase it toward 1 teaspoon—or use a few chopped dried peperoncini.

Speck, pancetta, or bacon all work. Speck gives the pasta a slightly smoky flavor, while pancetta is more savory and pork-forward. If neither is easy to find, regular bacon is a great substitute and makes this recipe even easier to pull together with ingredients from your local grocery store.

Choose whatever pasta shape you love. I made this with whatever dried pasta I had around while living in Florence, so don't feel like you need one particular shape. Rigatoni, mezze maniche, penne, fusilli, or spaghetti would all be delicious.

Finish with ricotta or Parmesan. Parmesan gives you a salty, savory finish, while little dollops of ricotta make the finished pasta even creamier.

STORAGE & REHEATING

Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Toss until warmed through and creamy again.