Penne with a Cashew-Dill Sauce

Nutty sauce blankets these penne (quill-shaped pasta) and contains a hint of smokiness with more than a wisp of heat from the blackened chiles. Dairy-rich half-and-half balances it all and helps to thicken the sauce, with the able assistance of the starchy pasta. The sun-dried tomatoes provide tartness while the dill perfumes it with a hint of bitterness and vibrant green. All hallmarks of an addictive weekday dish. And did I say how easy it is to make?