Spaghetti Pomodoro never gets old. This is such a simple pasta and what’s troubling to me is that if you live in the U.S. it is quite possible that you have never enjoyed a proper version of it.
Here’s my tirade:
Most restaurants don’t serve it at all or they serve it with meatballs. The meatball version makes it difficult to appreciate the beauty and simplicity of a simple tomato and basil sauce.
Another issue with many tomato sauces is that they are cooked for much too long, with unnecessary spices and seasonings, or tomato product other than whole peeled San Marzano which is the only tomato necessary for this pasta (although we do add a few roasted Romas to this one) - and when you add all these things up it leaves you with a sauce that is overly sweet and lacking the bright flavors of a good tomato.
The Success Equation For Spaghetti Pomodoro
a good quality brand of Spaghetti (such as Rustichella)
+
A simple San Marzano sauce recipe (such as the one below)
+
fresh basil
+
a good quality extra virgin olive oil
=
YES.
A note on San Marzano tomatoes
Your tomatoes do not necessarily need to be imported from Italy, but they do need to be of high quality. The “San Marzano” name has unfortunately attracted several fraudulent brands claiming to be a true San Marzano tomato (and in fact may even be imported) but when they arrive American companies slap on whatever label they feel has the best chance of duping uninformed shoppers. Here is a great example of such a brand (these tomatoes aren’t even grown in Italy).
One domestic tomato guy you can trust is legendary pizzaiolo Chris Bianco and his Bianco DiNapoli products.
Read this if you want more info. on fake San Marzano’s.
Roasted Roma Tomatoes
Whenever I find myself reading up on Umami ingredients roasted tomatoes always seem to make an appearance. When it comes to the classics, such as Spaghetti Pomodoro, I typically do not veer far from traditional recipes (I’m nostalgic like that). However, for this recipe I thought it would be productive to share these roasted Roma tomatoes. They add a bit of an Umami kick to this classic and you will have a few leftover in the fridge to add deliciousness to whatever else you happen to be preparing throughout the week.
How To Cook Pasta For Ultimate Deliciousness
Season your pasta water generously (like a delicious bowl of ramen or chicken soup - almost as salty as the ocean)
Have your sauce simmering in a separate pan
Cook the pasta 1 minute less than it says on the package instructions
Using tongs, transfer your noodles from your pasta water to the sauce (i.e. don’t drain into a colander and especially don’t rinse your noodles). Reserve the pasta water
Cook the noodles for 2-3 minutes over medium heat in the pan with the sauce - every so often stirring vigorously with your tongs and tossing the pasta in the pan.
Add pasta water to the sauce to loosen it. The pasta water also adds flavor and helps to bind the sauce.
Finish with a touch of butter or extra virgin olive oil and fresh herbs.
After the pasta has been plated, there is no substitute for freshly grated cheese such as Parmigiano Reggiano.
-Jimmy
there are amazon affiliate links in this post
| Prep Time | 45 minutes |
| Cook Time | 15 minutes |
| Passive Time | 40 minutes |
| Servings |
people
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- 4-5 Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise
- 4-5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- small handful of fresh thyme sprigs, washed
- kosher salt
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 28 oz can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bunch fresh basil
- 1.5 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1/2 lb Spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Ingredients
For the Roasted Tomatoes
Everything Else
|
|
- Preheat the oven to 425. Toss the roma tomatoes with the salt, EVOO, thyme sprigs, and garlic and lay face down on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 35 - 45 minutes (rotate the pan halfway through). The tomatoes are finished when they are soft to the touch and start to brown on top. Remove the tomatoes from the oven, let cool, and remove the skins.
- Open the can of tomatoes and pour them (along with their juices) into a bowl. Crush them with your hands into small pieces. Set aside. in a sauce pan over low heat add the garlic, olive oil, and about 5 leaves of basil. Add a touch of salt to the garlic. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally and flipping the garlic cloves until they are golden brown on all sides. Remove the garlic and the basil from the pan but leave the oil (you can save the garlic for another use). Add the tomatoes and their juices to the oil. Add the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then turn it down to an aggressive simmer for about 15 minutes stirring often. Remove from heat when the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt - it should taste like a well seasoned bowl of ramen or chicken soup. Add the spaghetti and cook for 1 minute less than it instructs on the package. Meanwhile, heat 12 oz of the Pomodoro sauce and 4 roasted tomato halves in a saucepan. Add the butter. Using tongs, transfer the spaghetti to the sauce. Add a couple of ounces of pasta water and stir vigorously over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. If it seems to dry add a bit more pasta water. Transfer the spaghetti to plates and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a few leaves of torn basil, and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
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