WINE RECOMMENDATION:
A fruity red wine will be ideal with the rich sauce and the assertive, salty taste of the sun-dried tomatoes. A slightly chilled bottle of Barbera or Dolcetto from the Piedmont region of Italy would be perfect.
5 scallions, white and light-green parts only
6 tablespoons chopped reconstituted sun-dried tomato halves (about 12 halves)
1 cup light cream or half and half
1 pound bow ties
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
In a blender or food processor, puree the scallions and sun-dried tomatoes with 1/2 cup of the cream.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the bow ties until just done, about 15 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and toss with the puree, the remaining 1/2 cup cream, 1/3 cup of the reserved pasta water, the salt, pepper, and parsley. If the sauce seems too thick, thin it by adding more of the reserved pasta water.
VARIATION: BOW TIES WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATO AND HERB CREAM
An equal quantity of chopped fresh basil or chives or 2 tablespoons of tarragon would be a good alternative or addition to the parsley.
RECONSTITUTING SUN-DRIED TOMATOES
In a small pan, bring enough water to a boil to cover the dried tomatoes. Add the tomatoes, then remove from the heat and let steep in the hot water for about 5 minutes. Drain. You can also use drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes for this recipe. Since they're already soft, you don't have to reconstitute them.