Perfect Pomodoro
No practice needed for perfect, here!
Though, I’d be lying if I said I didn't have a lot of practice. This one is a regular, especially at the end of a long week or when I haven't been shopping — it’s all pantry staples (canned tomatoes, garlic, EVOO, dried pasta) that are always on-hand, and it is seriously so easy.
Fight the urge to doctor it up — less really is more here (shocking coming from me, I know).
Take the one extra step to puree your own tomatoes. Why? Despite their label, most ‘San Marzano’ tomatoes are not the real deal imported from the Italian region, especially those that have been processed. Instead, look for ‘Pomodoro San Marzano dell’Agro Sarnese Nocerino’ whole, and process them yourself. It takes 30 seconds.
I like spaghettini (a.k.a ‘thin spaghetti’) to sop up all of this smooth sauce, but any long pasta you have will work — do you!
Let’s cook!
You’ll need:
1/2 lb spaghettini (‘thin spaghetti’), or any long pasta
28oz can of whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes (or 14 oz of tomato puree)
2-3 cloves of fresh garlic, depending on size
1 sprig of fresh basil
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (or less to taste)
1 tbsp of unsalted butter
Quality EVOO
Salt & fresh-cracked pepper
Makes ~2 good servings of cooked pasta.
Steps:
Put a stock pot of cold water on to boil, and then peel and thinly slice the garlic.
Empty the canned tomatoes, juices and all, into a food processor or blender. Process on high, just until smooth — about 30 sec. *Remove half of the puree, store in an airtight container, and refrigerate for another recipe!
Heat a cold, stainless skillet over medium heat — once warm, coat liberally with EVOO, about a 1/4 cup. Add sliced garlic.
Keep garlic swirling, until it just starts to turn golden brown and lightly toasted (not burnt!). Add the other half of pureed tomatoes (carefully— they can splatter), crushed red pepper, and an entire sprig of basil to steep. Season with S&P.
Meanwhile, salt the boiling water well (2 tbsp, trust me), add pasta, and cook until just al dente. As the pasta boils, simmer the sauce well, reducing heat slightly if needed.
Drain pasta, and remove basil sprig from the sauce. Add drained pasta to the skillet, along with the ~tbsp of butter, and toss.
Keep tossing with tongs until the pasta is well-coated — there shouldn’t be any sauce left — about 2 min. Turn off heat.
Serve in bowls, with a drizzle of EVOO and plenty of grated cheese. Option to garnish with chopped basil, too.
