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Likely native to India, basil made its way west during antiquity, appearing in the Mediterranean region. And local cuisine has never been the same since. The herb’s cooling burst of complex flavor is used for garnishing all sorts of dishes—particularly in Italy, where rich, tangy tomato sauces simmered with savory aromatics became incredibly popular. In this Italian recipe, we’re taking basil a step further than garnish: we’re making it the base of the dish, using fresh basil fettuccine pasta coated in a hearty sauce that’s thickened with creamy mascarpone cheese.
Get CookingWash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Peel and thinly slice the garlic. Peel and small dice the onion. Medium dice the tomatoes. Pick the basil leaves off the stems; discard the stems.
In a large pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the ground chicken; season with salt and pepper. Cook, frequently breaking the meat apart with a spoon, 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a bowl, leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan.
Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan of reserved fond and heat on medium until hot. Add the garlic and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened. Add the tomato paste. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until dark red and fragrant.
Add the tomatoes, cooked chicken and 1 cup of water to the pan of aromatics; season with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 12 to 14 minutes, or until the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce has thickened.
Once the tomatoes and chicken have simmered for about 10 minutes, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water, gently stirring to separate. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until just shy of al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly.
To the pan of tomatoes and chicken, add the cooked pasta, mascarpone cheese, all but a pinch of the Parmesan cheese and half the reserved pasta cooking water. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring frequently to thoroughly coat the pasta, 1 to 2 minutes, or until thoroughly combined. (If the sauce seems dry, gradually add the remaining pasta cooking water to achieve your desired consistency.) Stir in all but a pinch of the basil (tearing the leaves just before adding); season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat. Divide the finished pasta between 2 dishes. Garnish with the remaining Parmesan cheese and basil (tearing the leaves just before adding). Enjoy!
Tips from Home Chefs
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