Creamy cheese rigatoni with chilli and mild salami

There's a Sydney-based blog that is so inviting with its stunning photos and absolutely mouth watering food!  I love What Katie Ate's site because of her classic and vintage food styling.  Its something that I hope one day to be able to replicate.    In our home, our pasta repertoire is as limited as the number of fingers in one's hands.   And browsing through Katie Quinn Davies' site is always inspiring.  The minute these photos came into full view, was the very moment I took off for the local providore to get some Pecorino cheese and mild salami and made this for dinner with a few tweaks.  This is a lovely creamy pasta dish that was "maginifico" in every bite.  The combination of the tomatoes and cream gave it that X factor.  And the flavour of the salami just evolves into something beautiful.

To make this creamy rigatoni pasta dish:

500g dried rigatoni pasta

1-400g can diced tomatoes

1 medium sized onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

200g salami or chorizo

150g mushrooms, quartered (we used large cup mushrooms)

1 red chilli, finely diced

25g butter

1 cup cream

1 cup grated parmesan cheese + extra to serve

1 cup greated pecorino cheese

1 bunch basil, chopped

1/4 cup sliced black olives

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the rigatoni pasta per package instructions.  Set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat about 2 tbsp olive oil then sweat the onions.  Add the garlic and cook for 3-5 minutes over medium heat. 

Add the butter, mushrooms, salami and chilli and cook for 10 minutes stirring the ingredients together.  

Add the canned tomatoes, black olives, cream and basil leaves and stir to combine all ingredients, then add half of both cheeses.

Add the rigatoni and stir to coat the pasta.

Spoon into a rectangular baking dish and top with the remaining cheese.

Bake in a preheated 180* C oven for 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted. 

My salami slices were way too big though.  Next time, I might just dice them smaller.  What's my best gauge that a new dish tried has been successful?  When at least one requests to save some for lunch the next day!  Makes my heart go a-flutter.  Spontaneous trips for ingredients become all so worth it.