Pasta Pomodoro
This Pasta Pomodoro is one of those Italian classics you just can't mess up. Perfectly al dente pasta is finished in the pan in a simple, yet exceptionally flavorful tomato sauce infused with garlic, basil, and just a hint of spice from red paper flakes. Simple, fresh, and ultra delicious!
Servings: 5 people
Ingredients
- 2 cans (28 ounces each) whole peeled tomatoes
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic , peeled and smashed
- 1 pound dry spaghetti
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 8 fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Place your tomatoes in a colander over a bowl. Using your hands, squeeze the tomatoes and allow them to drain.
- Heat the olive oil over medium to medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or small pot. Once shimmering, add in the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes until the garlic is just starting to turn golden brown. Remove the garlic from the pot.
- Add the crushed tomatoes to the pot and using a wooden spoon, stir and break them into bite-size pieces.
- Stirring occasionally, allow the tomatoes to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the red pepper flakes, salt, and basil to the tomatoes. Make sure to cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta 2 minutes shy of al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid before draining.
- Stir the cooked spaghetti into the pasta sauce and allow it to continue cooking until the pasta reaches al dente, about 2 to 3 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add in some of the reserved juice of the tomatoes and pasta water.
- Serve with Parmesan cheese, and enjoy.
Notes
Got fresh garden tomatoes? You can totally use those instead of canned, if preferred. Grab 1 pound of cherry or Roma tomatoes and boil some water. Add the tomatoes to the boiling water and let them cook for about 1 minute. Remove them from the water and plunge them into an ice bath. The skins should peel right off. Cut the tomatoes in half and use them just as you would the canned tomatoes.
About the garlic. The garlic in this recipe is traditionally left whole and only used to infuse the oil with flavor. The cloves are then removed and discarded. If you'd like a more garlicky flavor, go ahead and mince the cloves, sauté only for 30-60 seconds, and leave them in the oil as you carry on with the recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.2recipe | Calories: 486kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 925mg | Potassium: 801mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 405IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 4mg