Pasta Pomodoro

A delicious and simple pasta dish that had our house fighting on who would get the last helping – simple and decadent- my advice? Make extra!!

Ingredients

Salt

400 g can whole peeled Italian tomatoes

4 garlic cloves

Extra-virgin olive oil, plus more

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

4 basil sprigs, plus more for serving

300g buccatini or spaghetti

1 cup Parmigiano reggiano

Method

Heat a stock pot with water, add in 3-4 tablespoons of salt. Once the water starts boiling add in the pasta and cook till al dente – 8 minutes or less depending on the type of pasta you’re using.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan, add in the 4 crushed cloves of garlic and cook until garlic is lightly browned all over.

Stir in the chilli flakes, add in the whole tomatoes and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook for 8-10 minutes until it turns into a deep brown color.

Once this is achieved mash the tomatoes with the back of your spoon to form a paste.

Add the sprigs of basil and a pinch of salt, reduce the heat till it is simmering. Cook, stirring occasionally until the sauce is reduced and has thickened.

Back to the pasta, reserve a cup of pasta water before straining the pasta. Add pasta to the sauce and mix to ensure all the pasta is coated, drizzling in pasta water as you go only if necessary and remove of the heat.

Add in half a cup of the Parmigiano to the pasta, tossing the pasta constantly until it has melted into the sauce (for this step i highly recommend the grainy parmesan you get int the sachets, this will help prevent clumps of cheese) add more pasta water if needed, and couple tablespoons at a time until the pasta loosens up.

Serve warm with extra Parmigiano and fresh basil leaves and enjoy!