Step 1
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry all produce. Dice Roma tomato. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.
Step 2
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and scallion whites to pan; cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Add tomato and cook until slightly softened, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 3
Once water is boiling, add rigatoni to pot. Cook until al dente, 10-12 minutes. Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
Step 4
While pasta cooks, stir Italian seasoning, tomato paste and 1 teaspoon sugar into pan with sausage mixture until coated. Pour in ¼ cup plain water (1⁄3 cup for 4). Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute, then reduce heat to low.
Step 5
Add heavy cream to pan with sauce and stir. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter until melted. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 6
Add drained rigatoni to pan with sauce; toss to coat. If needed, stir in reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time until pasta is coated in a creamy sauce. Divide pasta between bowls and top with Parmesan. Sprinkle with a pinch of chili flakes if desired. Garnish with scallion greens and serve.
Enjoy!
