We’ve partnered with Hood Cream, makers of great-tasting, high-quality cream, to share a weeknight dinner recipe we’ll be making all summer long: a cherry tomato pasta that gets its creaminess from half-and-half!
When I was a toddler, I’d go to lunch with my great-grandma Ethel a lot. We would hit up old-school New Jersey diners, where ketchup is always on the table, and you can order a world-class turkey club. But, as my family loves to remind me, my favorite thing wasn’t a menu item.
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It was half-and-half.
Half-and-half is just what it sounds like: half cream, half milk. It’s creamy, but not too creamy, perfect for hot coffee or a toddler with no manners. While my mom and grandma scoffed, Ethel fed me little cup after little cup of half-and-half, and I loved her for it.
In the couple decades since, not much has changed. Though I don’t drink it straight anymore, I still adore half-and-half. I turn it into creamed greens, French toast, ice cream, and more.
But, as soon as summer hits, my favorite way to use half-and-half is tomato sauce.
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Most times of the year, tomato sauce means me opening a can of whole-peeled tomatoes and simmering them into oblivion. In the warmer months, though, it means just the opposite.
Here’s the gist: Add a bunch of cherry tomatoes to a scorching- hot pan and cook them until their skins start to char and split. Mix in a couple of anchovy fillets and garlic cloves, both minced, and some red pepper flakes; you won’t be able to pinpoint these flavors in the finished sauce, but they make everything better, trust me. Pour in a whole cup of half-and-half (yep!) and simmer until it’s lush and rich.
I like this best with a short-shaped pasta (like penne, fusilli, or cavatappi), but really, it’ll work with whatever shape you like best. It’s the sort of easy weeknight meal that makes the perfect end to a long day—especially if you eat it outside in the sun.
What’s your favorite way to use half-and-half? Tell us in the comments below!
It’s no secret that half-and-half makes the best addition to a cup of coffee—be it a refreshing batch of cold brew or a hot French press—but we love cooking with it, too. We’ve partnered with Hood Cream to share our go-to summer recipes, like this creamy tomato pasta sauce from Emma Laperruque, a food writer, recipe developer, and Big Little Recipes whiz. This season-ready pasta is simple enough for a weeknight, but impressive enough for company, and it’s made even easier and more delicious thanks to the addition of half-and-half.
