Ingredients
- 1 lb penne pasta or rigatoni, fussili, or other short pasta (450 grams)
- 8 oz Spanish cured chorizo 225 grams (note 1), peeled and diced
- 1 small red onion or 1/2 big red onion (note 2), peeled and minced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or double cream
- 2 oz parmesan 60 grams (note 3), grated
- 1 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil
- salt to taste (plus salt for the pasta water)
- ground black pepper to taste
- a pinch of chili flakes to taste
- a handful of fresh basil finely sliced
- 1 cup pasta water reserve 1 cup of pasta water to use in the sauce
Instructions
- To a large pot with boiling water, add some salt (about 1 tbsp of kosher salt) and the pasta, making sure the water covers the pasta by at least 1 inch. Boil the pasta for the time indicated on the package minus 1 minute. Stir a few times to make sure the pasta doesn't stick. When you drain the pasta once it's cooked, reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- While the pasta cooks, work on the sauce. To a skillet or pan, add 1 tbsp of olive oil, diced chorizo, and minced onion with a pinch of salt. Cook for about 5-6 minutes on medium-high until the red onion has softened.
- Add the cream and 1 cup of pasta water to the sauce. Bring to a simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add the parmesan, stirring it in for a few seconds.
- Combine the cooked and drained pasta with the sauce. Put the pot back on heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring until the pasta is coated in the sauce.
- Add fresh basil and a pinch of chili flakes. Taste everything once combined and add salt & pepper to taste.
Notes
Note 1: Use the dry-cured Spanish chorizo sausage that’s already cooked (not the ground chorizo you need to cook). You can use mild Spanish chorizo (which is my personal preference) or you can use spicy Spanish chorizo if you’d like a spicier pasta dish.
Note 2: Red onion is sweeter and milder and cooks faster than other types of onions (like brown or white). Another name for red onion is purple onion. If you don't have red onions, try shallots or pink onions.
Note 3: It's best if you grate the parmesan at home rather than buy pre-grated, as it will melt better and have better flavor. Also, when buying parmesan, make sure it says Parmigiano Reggiano on it (as that's a protected designation for the authentic parmesan from Italy).