Spaghetti Pomodoro
This timeless recipe celebrates the amazing combination of tomatoes, aromatic garlic, and fragrant basil along with a perfectly cooked pasta.
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. Salt
- 28- oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
- 6 garlic cloves
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup Basil
- 1 lb. spaghetti
- 1 cup Parmesan finely grated
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with two-thirds water and bring to a boil on high heat. Once you see the water starting to steam, add the salt. While you wait for the water to boil, start your sauce.
- In a large skillet or saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic cloves (whole) and sauté for a couple minutes until fragrant and slightly brown on sides. Add crushed red pepper once garlic cloves are browned.
- On the side, separate the juices of the canned whole tomatoes by opening wholes and draining them in a colander (set the juices aside). Pour the whole tomatoes into the skillet with the garlic and olive oil. Cook until tomatoes are browned on sides and starting to caramelize (around 10 minutes). Once this step is done, add the remaining juices into the pan with the basil leaves and cook until sauce thickens.
- While the sauce is cooking, add pasta to the boiling water. Cook until al dente. Reserve some pasta water for later use.
- Transfer pasta from the pot into the skillet using tongs and allow the extra water to come with the pasta (do not drain!). You will continue to cook the pasta within the sauce. (Trust me, this will make all the difference.) Stir until each noodle is covered in sauce. If the texture gets too dry, you can always add from the reserved pasta water.
- Sprinkle the parmesan cheese and keep tossing constantly until it melts into the sauce.
- Remove pot from the heat and stir in the 2 tbsp of butter.
- Serve in individual plates or bowls. Garnish with additional torn basil leaves and grated parmesan cheese if desired.