Start by heating the unsalted butter and extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the chopped onion and sauté until it's translucent—about 3-4 minutes. Then, throw in the minced garlic.

The goal here is to capture that aromatic goodness without burning the garlic; keep stirring for about a minute until the garlic is fragrant.

Add the strained tomato purée to the skillet. Stir in the Italian herb blend, granulated sugar, crushed red chili flakes, kosher salt, black pepper, and the crushed chicken bouillon cube. Give this mixture a good stir and let it simmer gently for about 10 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld together and become something beautiful.

While your sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rotini pasta, cooking it according to the package instructions until al dente. Trust me—there’s nothing worse than mushy pasta! Drain the pasta and reserve a cup of the cooking water.

Once the sauce has simmered and the pasta is ready, it’s time to bring it all together. Add the half-and-half cream to the sauce and stir until it's creamy and blended.

Combine the cooked pasta into the skillet, tossing it gently to coat. If the sauce seems too thick, drizzle in some reserved pasta water to achieve your desired consistency.

Sprinkle in the shredded mozzarella, dried basil, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese melts into the pasta, creating that irresistible gooey texture we all love.

Serve your creamy Rotini Fiorentina in large serving bowls. Top with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan and some freshly cracked black pepper for an added touch. Enjoy!