Ahhhhh, Pasta Pomodoro….So simple yet so delicious! I will always remember when I was new to Italy and trying so hard to cook the complicated dishes and sauces and struggling to do things the Italian way.
I was trying to master Ravioli with Pumpkin and Ricotta and had an epic fail. I was lamenting to my friend Davide that it was so difficult to cook Italian. He looked at me with dismay in his eyes and said “Why do you not just make tomato with basil sauce?” Yes, indeed Davide, why do I not? So I learned that actually Italian food is very simple, just a few quality ingredients, cooked with a gentle hand.
This Pasta Pomodoro e Basilico is a perfect summertime meal. It’s light and refreshing, doesn’t take long to make and you can use produce straight from your garden! It is the true taste of Italy!
Pasta Pomodoro e Basilico
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, diced (quarter the cherry tomatoes)
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 5 leaves fresh basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- olive oil (about 4 tablespoons)
- 2 garlic cloves (whole, peeled and smashed)
Instructions:
- Start a large pot of water to boil for the pasta, add salt, about 1 tablespoon
- Swirl olive oil into the skillet, add garlic clove whole, cook until fragrant and slightly golden (Italians wouldn’t make it golden, just fragrant so use caution! Piano, piano….slowly slowly)
- Add the chopped tomatoes and salt, cook for 5-10 minutes (don’t over evaporate it, or over cook it, it should look like the picture then turn off the heat)
- When the water comes to a boil, add the pasta, cook until “al dente”, then using a pasta spoon, bring the pasta to the skillet with the tomatoes and toss, allowing a little of the starchy water to be incorporated into the sauce. Serve and enjoy!
