Kat Can Cook

0 Bring a large lidded stockpot of salted water to a boil.
1 Adjacent to your stockpot, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.
2 Add shallots and garlic with ½ tsp salt and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes.
3 Add the tomato paste and stir for 2 minutes.
4 Remove from heat, then add to a high speed blender with roasted red peppers.
5 Blend until very smooth and pour back into the cooking pan, add in your coconut milk or heavy cream, and stir to combine.  Cover and turn heat to low.
6 Add penne to the pot of boiling, generously salted water and cook for two minutes less than packaged directions require (about 6-8 minutes). You want it to be a bit less than al dente.  Scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water and set aside.
7 Using a slotted spoon, add penne to the pan of sauce.
8 Add ½ of the pasta cooking water to the sauce and stir to combine.
9 Stream in as much of the left over ½ cup of pasta water as needed to give you a nice, saucy pasta.  Taste and add salt if it needs it (it depends how heavily salted your pasta cooking water was).  Finish with a few cracks of black pepper.
10 Serve pasta topped with fresh basil, if desired.