Rigatoni Oreganata with Tomato Sauce and Bread Crumbs

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons
• 1 pound rigatoni
• 1 cup small diced onion
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
• 3/4 cup dried bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to broil.

Set a large, 4 to 6-quart stockpot filled with water over high heat and bring to a boil. Season the water with the kosher salt, 2 tablespoons olive oil and add the rigatoni. While the pasta cooks, set a 14-inch saute pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and slightly caramelized, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the oregano and basil. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste and stir well to combine. Continue to cook the sauce until it is slightly reduced, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream to the pan. By this time the pasta should be almost al dente. Drain the pasta and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta and the 1 cup of reserved cooking water to the sauce in the pan and season with the salt and pepper. Continue to cook, tossing the pasta, until it is well coated with the sauce and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Sprinkle the parsley over the pasta and toss. Spread the bread crumbs over the pasta and place the pan in the oven to broil until the bread crumbs are caramelized, about, 3 minutes, being sure to rotate the pan after 1 1/2 minutes. Remove the pasta from the oven, allow it to cool for 5 minutes, and serve with Parmesan sprinkled on top.