Beef Rigatoni in Tomato Cream Sauce

Beef Rigatoni in Tomato Cream Sauce
from The Meat and Potatoes Foodie

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper
2 fat cloves garlicminced
1 pound ground beef
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more if you really want that kick)
1/2 cup white wine or vermouth
4 oz canned tomato paste, preferably organic
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, lightly drained
2 oz cream cheese
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 lb rigatoni
handful salt to flavor water
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Begin boiling water for pasta.
2. Add butter and olive oil to a large pan and put over medium heat. Add onions, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper and stir. Cook for a couple of minutes and then stir in the garlic. Saute, stirring occasionally another 2-3 minutes until the onion is translucent.
3. Add the ground beef to the onions and garlic, breaking the meat up gently. Season with the additional salt and red pepper flakes then cook, stirring occasionally for about 8 minutes or just until the meat is browned.
4. Carefully pour in the wine and raise the heat to high. Once the wine is boiling, give everything a good stir then let simmer away until the majority of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is almost dry again (about 10 minutes.)
5. Add pasta to boiling water. Cook only until al dente, about nine minutes.
6. Back to your beef/wine mixture - once the majority of the liquid has evaporated, lower the heat to low and stir in the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, cream cheese, salt, and oregano. Combine well and keep over low heat until your pasta is cooked.
7. Once the pasta is ready, use a spider or slotted spoon to strain the pasta from the water and add it into the meat/sauce along with a ladle full of pasta water (about 1/3 cup.)
8. Immediately stir in the parmesan cheese, mixing well so that it melds into the sauce.

This was a good pasta dish, nothing spectacular but something easy and yummy that I would make again.