This is a quick and easy sauce that is popular, even with those who do not usually care for sauces with tomatoes. The tomato and cream reduction give the sauce a sweetness, and the cream, butter, and garlic give it a nutty quality. I like this sauce for gnocchi, especially for those made with winter squash. For gnocchi, use the option where you add in some of the water from cooking the gnocchi. The starch in the water will add some viscosity, but it will thin out the cream enough so it will lightly nap the gnocchi and not mask the flavor of the squash.
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter or olive oil (either a light non-Tuscan Extra Virgin or regular) 3-6 cloves of garlic 1 pint heavy whipping cream 2-3 tablespoons tomato paste Salt & fresh ground pepper 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
METHOD:
Peel the garlic cloves. Cut off the stem end, then split them down the length and remove the germ if present. (This is the little green sprout in the center that is responsible for garlic tasting bitter and causing indigestion.)
Mince the garlic.
In a very small saucepan or sauté pan, heat the butter or oil over medium heat.
When the fat begins to shimmer, add the garlic and begin gently cooking. Stir to cook evenly and prevent burning.
When the garlic is softened and fragrant, add the thyme.
Add the cream and turn up the heat to medium-high.
Bring to a boil, being careful not to boil over. (This prevents having to clean the stovetop and burner.) Stir and turn down the heat to a vigorous simmer.
After a few minutes (4-5) the cream should start to thicken. To tell, dip a spoon into the sauce and look at the bottom of the spoon. You should be able run your finger through the cream and have it leave a trail.
Add half the tomato paste and stir with a whisk to completely incorporate the paste into the cream. Taste to see how much more you need. Add the last half in increments so you get the balance of flavor you want.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Strain over noodles to serve.
Chef’s Notes:
If you find the garlic to be too strong, you can cut down on the garlic, or you can blanch it. This gives big flavor without the heat and “impact”. To blanch, put the garlic in a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Pour out the water. Repeat. Then proceed. In this case, the garlic may be soft and quite mellow and you can smash the garlic through the strainer into the sauce.
For a lighter version of this sauce, remove a ½-cup of water from the pasta pot just before draining it and substitute this for some of the cream. Add it in with the cream and cook down until you have consistency you wish.
This is a versatile technique for making many different sauces quickly. Skip the garlic. Wine could be added to the sauce when the garlic and herbs are cooking-add a ¼-½ C of white wine or vermouth and cook down 80%, then proceed with the recipe. Use different herbs such as rosemary or marjoram. Add mushrooms that have been cooked, use pomegranate or cherry syrup. Chipotle sauce. This type of sauce goes great on fish or pork chops. Use apples, and apple cider to cut the sauce a bit and use on pork chops. Use lots of black peppercorns (if you dry toast them in a skillet they lose a lot of their heat) and shallots with some brandy and use on steak.
This recipe reduces in half easily. Just halve the cream and back off the garlic a little if you wish.
Yield: ¾ cup, or enough to sauce pasta for 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
