PASTA ROSA

Pasta Rosa image

Provided by Robert Irvine : Food Network

Time 35m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 medium onion, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup hot milk
1 (8-ounce) can chunky tomato sauce
8 ounces soft cream cheese
3/4 pound Norwegian smoked salmon, sliced into 1-inch long strips
1 pound penne pasta
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped

Steps:

Bring a pot of water to boil for the pasta.
For the sauce, melt butter in a saucepan which will be large enough to accommodate the pound of cooked pasta, and saute onion until it becomes translucent. Mix in the flour to make a roux. Gradually add milk and allow thickening. Stir in tomato sauce and heat through. Remove from heat and add cream cheese. Blend with an immersion blender. Immediately cover surface of sauce with a sheet of plastic wrap and set aside briefly.
Boil the pasta until al dente and drain. Add the cooked pasta and strips of salmon to the pan containing the sauce and fold to coat pasta. Season with salt and pepper, as needed. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with chives.