Description
Pasta Pomodoro is a classic Italian dish featuring a simple yet flavorful tomato sauce made with whole peeled tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and fresh basil. This recipe highlights a slow-simmered sauce that is strained for smoothness, then combined with al dente pasta and finished with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil for a delightful, fresh, and authentic taste of Italy.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, lightly crushed and peeled
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
- Kosher salt
- 1 basil branch, plus more leaves for garnish
Pasta Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti (or packaged pasta of your choice)
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Soften the garlic: In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, warm 1/4 cup oil with the garlic until it sizzles, about 2 minutes. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes and press the garlic to release its flavor, but don’t let it brown. For a milder flavor, discard the garlic and keep the infused oil. Leave it in for a bolder taste.
- Add the tomatoes: Carefully pour in the can of tomatoes and their juice. Use a potato masher or sturdy wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes into large pieces. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and raise the heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a very gentle simmer.
- Simmer the sauce: Cover the pan partially and cook, stirring every now and then, until the tomatoes have darkened in color and the sauce has thickened, 35 to 40 minutes. The oil should be pooling on the surface. If the sauce thickens too much before it tastes sweeter and richer, add a splash of water.
- Process the sauce: Turn off the heat and let the sauce sit for 10 minutes to cool, then strain through a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. Press the tomatoes through the strainer to make a smooth sauce, then return the sauce to the pan. Taste and add another pinch of salt, if needed.
- Season the sauce: Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Lay the branch of basil on top of the sauce and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir and cook gently for about 15 minutes to infuse the basil flavor. Turn off the heat and discard the basil branch. Add a few fresh basil leaves for garnish if desired. Cover the pan to keep sauce warm.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until just al dente.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Using tongs or a skimmer, transfer the pasta directly to the pan with the sauce. Add a splash of reserved starchy pasta water and heat on low. Toss the pasta and sauce together for about 2 minutes until the noodles are well coated.
- Serve: Divide the pasta between bowls. Spoon any remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and basil leaves if using. Enjoy!
Notes
- Which canned tomatoes to use? San Marzano tomatoes grown near Naples are prized for their flavor, but any fresh, vibrant canned tomato will work well.
- If your pan isn’t large enough to hold both pasta and sauce, reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Mix half to two-thirds of the sauce with the pasta in the pot, adding reserved water as needed to loosen the sauce.
- Pomodoro sauce tastes even better the next day. Make it ahead and store in the refrigerator, then reheat gently before serving.
- To freeze the sauce, cool completely and transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or for a few hours at room temperature.
- For a chunky sauce, skip straining and simply use a potato masher to break down tomatoes to your desired texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
