Description
A comforting classic featuring ripe tomatoes, garlic, and fresh basil, perfect for family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2-1/2 lbs ripe vine-ripened tomatoes (~4 large tomatoes)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot (chopped)
- 4 garlic cloves (pressed or minced)
- Pinch of sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- Freshly cracked pepper (to taste)
- 12 oz spaghetti
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese (for serving, optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
- Score the bottom of the tomatoes with a shallow “X” then carefully add to the pot and boil for 30 seconds.
- Remove tomatoes to a colander then place a lid on top of the pot and turn heat down to low to keep warm for cooking the pasta.
- Peel away and discard the skins from the tomatoes once they aren’t hot to the touch.
- Chop tomatoes then add—juices, seeds, and all—to a bowl and set aside.
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet with high sides or medium-sized Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add shallots then sauté until tender, 3-5 minutes.
- Add garlic then sauté until very fragrant but not browned, 30 seconds.
- Add chopped tomatoes and sugar then stir to combine and simmer until sauce reaches desired consistency, 25-30 minutes, smashing tomatoes against the sides and bottom of the skillet with a spatula every so often and turning the heat down if necessary to reduce splattering.
- Tear in fresh basil leaves and add butter, salt, and pepper during the last 5 minutes of the cooking process.
- Stir to combine then taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
- Bring the pot of water back to a boil when the sauce has 15 minutes left to cook, then add 1 Tablespoon salt.
- Add spaghetti then cook until al dente and drain.
- Scoop cooked pasta into bowls then top with desired amount of pomodoro sauce and parmesan cheese if using.
- Tip: If you’d prefer to finish cooking the pasta in the sauce (vs draining it and serving the sauce on top), use tongs to transfer the pasta when it’s just shy of al dente into the sauce then stir and cook until al dente. You may need to add a splash of pasta cooking water if necessary to cook the pasta all the way through.
Notes
Use high-quality, in-season tomatoes for the best flavor. Taste as you cook and adjust seasonings accordingly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 30mg