Penne with Sausage and Spicy Paprika-Cream Sauce

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, minced
1/2 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
3 tablespoons sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon basil (I use 1 teaspoon)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne or to taste
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, finely chopped, with juice reserved
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Salt
Grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound penne or other short, tubular pasta

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat; add the shallot and saut?until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sausage, paprika and cayenne, crumble the meat with the edge of a wooden spoon to break it apart into tiny pieces. Cook, continuing to crumble the meat, just until it loses its raw color but has not yet browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juice and bring to a simmer; simmer gently until the sauce begins to thicken, about 20 minutes. Stir in the cream, bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, 2 to three minutes. Stir in the parsley and a generous amount of Parmesan cheese (at least 1/2 cup or more). Cook pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water; drain the pasta and return it to the cooking pot. Mix in the sauce and the reserved cooking water, if necessary. Put in bowl, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.
Joann, SC

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