Pasta with Tomato: Grandma's Recipe (practical advice).

Pasta al Pomodoro: Grandma's Recipe, with a Touch of Magic!

Hello everyone, lovers of cooking and simple but good things! Today we want to talk to you about one of the recipes that, in our opinion, is the essence of Italian cuisine: pasta with tomato sauce . Simple, yes, but if done properly, it becomes a real explosion of flavor. So, take it as an invitation to rediscover the pleasure of basic things, but made with love and a few little tricks. Are you up for it?

The Ingredients, the Truly Fundamental

Ok, first of all, we want to make a premise: the quality of the ingredients makes the difference. You can't make a dream tomato pasta with tasteless tomatoes or overcooked pasta. Trust me, the seasoning alone won't work miracles if the base isn't good. So here's what you need:

• 500g of pasta (better if ridged, so the sauce sticks better!)
• 1 kg of peeled tomatoes (if you really want to make pasta like your grandmother used to make, use fresh seasonal tomatoes, but peeled tomatoes are a great alternative)
• 1 clove of garlic (which should not be too invasive, but give that perfect aromatic note)
• Extra virgin olive oil (please, do not use low quality oil, it will be noticeable!)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh basil (a handful, for the scent that immediately makes you feel like it's summer!)

Step 1: Preparing the Sauce

Ok, now that you have everything you need, let's move on to the heart of the recipe: the sauce. A fundamental trick is not to overcook the tomato . The sauce must be very fresh, with that real tomato flavor that makes the difference.

1. Start with a nice large pan (even better a saucepan), pour in a generous drizzle of olive oil and heat.
2. Add the crushed garlic clove (make sure it's crushed, not minced, so it's not too strong) and brown it over low heat. When it starts to sizzle, remove it before it burns. Now, this is a little trick that will make the difference: the garlic should only perfume the oil, without ever becoming bitter!
3. Add the peeled tomatoes (if you like a smoother sauce, you can blend them first, but I love it when there are still bits of tomato to chew) and cook over medium heat. Salt and pepper to taste. Let it cook for 15-20 minutes, just long enough for it to thicken a bit. If you see that it dries out too much, add a drizzle of hot water (or broth, if you like to give it a little extra kick).

Step 2: The Perfect Pasta

In the meantime, put a large pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil. Salt the water well when it starts to boil (don't be afraid to overdo it a bit, it's essential to flavor the pasta). Cook the pasta al dente following the times indicated on the package (a little trick: stop a minute before, the pasta will finish cooking in the sauce and absorb all the flavors).

Step 3: Bringing It All Together and the Magic

When the pasta is al dente, drain it (but keep aside a little of the cooking water) and transfer it directly to the pan with the sauce. Here's the magic trick that changes everything: sauté the pasta in the sauce for a couple of minutes. This allows the pasta to absorb all the flavor of the tomato, creating a perfect harmony. If necessary, add a little of the cooking water to make everything creamier.

Step 4: The Final Touch

Serve the pasta on plates, add a few leaves of fresh basil (nothing better than basil broken by hand, to release its aroma!) and a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil. Now, I'll tell you, for those who really want to go the extra mile, a little grated cheese on top never hurts, but in reality the most authentic pasta with tomato sauce doesn't include it. So, choose for yourself!

Grandma's Advice (and ours!!)

• Use quality oil : a good olive oil completely changes the dish, I assure you!
• Don’t overdo it with the tomato : a sauce that is too “rich” in tomato loses its freshness. The tomato should be the seasoning, not the heavy base.
• Cook the pasta al dente : this is very important, because the pasta finishes cooking in the sauce, absorbing the flavor.
• Fresh basil : the final ingredient that will make your dish take a leap in quality!

And voilà! Here is your pasta al pomodoro . A dish that tastes of home, simplicity and love. We assure you that every bite will make you feel like you are in a sunny square in Naples (or at least I hope so!). Let us know how it goes, and if you have any secret tricks that you like to use, share them in the comments!

Enjoy your meal! 🍝