Recipe
Tomato Sauce with Pasta
This is my go to comfort meal when tomatoes are in season. Frequently I will pick up bruised tomatoes on the cheap from the farmers at the market. I keep trying to make extra to store in the freezer for a winter day, but it never seems to make it that far.
Oh, it’s also as quick as it is comforting. Need to put a meal on the table in about 30 minutes. Give this a try.
Serves 4-6
Time: aprox ½ hour (or more if you let it simmer)
Ready
- 1 lb pasta (choose your favorite)
- 2-4 lbs plump tomatoes, cored and cubed
- ½ onion, chopped small
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2-3 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- Olive oil
- Parmesan cheese, grated
- Salt
- Pepper
Set
- Dutch oven or large pot for sauce
- Large pot for pasta
- Trenched cutting board
- Large bowl
- Wood spoon
- Colander
Go!
- Set a large pot of water to boil.
- Core and dice the tomatoes on a trenched cutting board. Save the cut tomatoes and the juice in a large bowl.
- Coat the bottom of the Dutch oven or large pot with olive oil and saute the chopped onion over a medium low heat until they have turned soft and translucent. (about 10 minutes)
- Add the minced garlic.
- Add the tomatoes, a few additional touches of olive oil and simmer for 15-30 minutes.
- When water begins to boil add two pinches of salt to pot.
- Add pasta to boiling water. Cook until pasta reaches desired tenderness. I prefer al dente which just a little teensy bit crunchy.
- Strain pasta into colander.
- Salt & pepper sauce to taste while pasta dries.
- Add pasta to serving bowl and pour sauce on top. Let sit for at least five minutes to allow pasta to absorb the flavor of the sauce.
- Add parmesan and basil before serving.
Recommendations
Make extra sauce and store it in the freezer for one of those nights where you need a meal in a hurry.
Some people like to thicken the sauce with a few tablespoons of tomato paste. Feel free to do so. I like my sauce wet and have been known to grab some French bread to dip in my Italian sauce once the pasta has been consumed. (Italian bread is good too)