Squid Ink Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes & Baby Bellas

Have you tried squid ink? While it may sound like an exotic ingredient, squid ink is tasteless and is used to add a black tone to foods, like pasta. Try it in Squid Ink Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes and Baby Bellas.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Deano’s Pasta Squid Ink Pasta
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp rosemary, minced
• 5 garlic cloves, shaved
• 3 Tbsp tomato puree
• 10-15 Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
• 10 baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 4 Tbsp butter
• ⅓ c. white wine
• 2 lemons, zested and juiced
• ½ tsp red chili flakes
• ½ c. basil, chiffonade
• Shaved Parmesan to your liking
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Grab a large pot and fill with water. Place on the stove over high heat. 
2. Salt the water, cover, and wait until it boils.
3. Place pan on stove, set the burner to medium high heat, and add the extra virgin olive oil.
4. Add the garlic when the oil is hot.
5. Sauté garlic until fragrant and slightly colored.
6. Add the tomato puree, stir the puree and mix with garlic.
7. After a minute, you should start to see the puree turn a little darker in color. Add baby bella mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, white wine, and red pepper flakes.
8. Stir and cook the mushrooms and tomatoes around until softened, season with salt and pepper to taste and stir.
9. Once the water is boiling, put the squid ink pasta into the water. (See notes)
10. Strain the pasta from the pot and reserve ½ cup of pasta water.
11. Add the cooked pasta, butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and half of the pasta water to the pan with mushrooms and tomatoes.
12. Cook and stir until the pasta is covered in the sauce.
13. Season with salt and pepper and stir in half of the basil. 
14. If the sauce becomes too dry feel free to add the remaining pasta water.
15. Turn off heat, plate on dish. Garnish with basil and shaved parmesan.
16. Enjoy!