Pasta with Tomato and Cream Sauce

This recipe is straight from PW just cut in half.  I had been eyeing this recipe since we got back from vacation and since C has been working late this week I figured it was the perfect thing for dinner one night (because he's not a big I-talian fan). I'm telling you, this tastes like something you'd order at a restaurant (a good one).

Pasta with Tomato and Cream Sauce

What you need:
Pasta of your choice. I used half a box of linguini because Wal Mart doesn't have the finest selection.*
1 can tomato sauce
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves (1 tsp. pre-minced) garlic
Salt and Pepper
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (I used half and half because that's how I roll.)
Parmesan cheese
Basil

What you do:
In a large skillet, over medium heat, combine oil, butter, onion, and garlic and cook until onion is soft Otherwise you will have crunchy onions in your final product.  (Not that I'm speaking from experience.)

Once the onions are nice and soft add the tomato sauce and simmer on low from 25-30 minutes.  At this point you can add your salt and pepper to taste.  Thanks to PW I also knew to add some sugar if it tasted too acidy.

After your 25-30 minutes are up, remove the skillet from the heat and let sit for a few minutes (2 or 3).  Then stir in half and half. Then add as much or as little Parmesan cheese as you like. 

If you are a multi-tasker, cook the pasta while the sauce is cooking.  Reserve about a cup of pasta water in case you need it to thin out the sauce.

After straining the pasta, add into the skillet with the fragrant sauce.  Here's where you'll notice whether or not you need some of the pasta water.  I needed just a smidgen.

Top with basil (or if you're me, squeeze some of this stuff into the sauce) and serve.

*Now that the recipe is over, I can discuss Wal Mart a bit.  It hit me the other day, how little of a produce section they have.  Coincidence?  I think not.