spaghetti al pomodoro.
The basics of building a sauce and layering flavours. Requires little ingredients, simple, fresh.
Ingredients:
70g dry or fresh spaghetti.
15-20 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half. or 6-8 fresh plum tomatoes, cut into chunks.
4-6 basil leaves.
1 shallot, chopped fine.
1 clove garlic, sliced thin.
50mL dry white wine.
10g (2 tsp) tomato paste.
100mL + 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
kosher salt.
black pepper.
grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Equipment:
medium sauté pan.
large saucepan/pot.
tongs.
ladle.
Yield:
1 serving.
Execution:
build the sauce.
Begin by bringing a pot of water to a boil, adding a generous amount of salt to make it as salty as the sea.
In a sauté pan, pour in some olive oil and heat it gently over a low flame. When the oil starts to shimmer slightly, introduce the shallots along with a pinch of salt.
Once the shallots have become translucent, incorporate the garlic, and continue to cook it until it becomes aromatic. (Note: "Cook without color" simply means to cook without allowing it to turn brown.)
Now, add the tomato paste and raise the heat to medium. Continue cooking the tomato paste until it caramelizes, which should take approximately 1 minute. You'll know it's caramelized when it darkens a few shades and begins to stick to the pan.
Pour in the white wine, and allow the liquid to reduce by half. Then, introduce the tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let it simmer.
If you are using dry pasta, you can add it to the boiling water at this point.
Continue to simmer the sauce for about 7-8 minutes.
2. tossing the pasta with the sauce.
Once the pasta has reached the al dente stage (meaning it should still have a slight bite to it with the center slightly raw, as it will finish cooking in the sauce),
Transfer the slightly undercooked pasta into the sauce, increase the heat to high, and add a small ladleful of pasta water. Begin swirling the pan.
Start stirring and tossing the pasta in the pan to create a cohesive sauce. While swirling the pasta, incorporate the extra tablespoon of olive oil.
Once the pasta is thoroughly coated, and the sauce becomes creamy and glossy, remove it from the heat. Add a small handful of basil leaves, a few turns of black pepper, and as much grated Parmigiano as you desire.
Give the pasta one final toss and let it rest in the pan for 30 seconds.
Plate and serve, garnishing with additional cheese, basil leaves, and a drizzle of olive oil.