Tag Archives: pasta

The World’s Easiest Pasta Sauce (is also extremely delicious)

17 Monday Sep 2012

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World's Easiest Pasta Sauce

My friend Rachel, who is an amazing cook, whipped up this marinara pasta sauce for me one day from scratch in the same time it took to boil water and cook the pasta. No secret recipe simmering on the stove for hours. No careful balance of sugar. Just a can of tomatoes and a few ingredients you can count on one hand. And it was the freshest, most delicious pasta sauce I’ve ever tasted!

The magic is in the simplicity and the specific type of tomato. San Marzano tomatoes are a variety of plum tomatoes which look like Romas but are even more elongated. They have thicker flesh, fewer seeds and are less acidic than other varieties, making them the idea sauce tomatoes. You can find several brands of San Marzanos at higher end grocery stores. This is the brand I use:

San Marzano tomatoes

Rachel credits Lidia Matticchio Bastianich with this recipe, and I found  this one here which is very similar. But the fresh basil, or any Italian herb, is totally optional in my experience.

World's Easiest Pasta Sauce

Ingredients (to serve 2):

  • 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • .25 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
  • 3 to 5 Garlic Cloves, diced or thinly sliced
  • 1 can (28 oz) San Marzano Whole Peeled Tomatoes
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Over medium heat in a medium sauce pan, heat the oil and add pepper flakes and some fresh ground pepper. Season the oil for a minute.
  2. Add the garlic and season the oil for another minute.
  3. Add the San Marzano tomatoes and use a potato masher to mash them and stir all ingredients. Careful, they can squirt.
  4. Add a little of the tomato juice from the can and/or additional oil if you wish.
  5. Reduce heat and simmer until the oil separates (about the time your pasta is ready!) but stir and continue mashing the tomatoes occasionally.
  6. Season with additional pepper and some salt. If you want to add fresh Italian herbs, they make a perfect garnish.
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“Cold” Spaghetti

11 Sunday Mar 2012

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Cold Spaghetti

The pasta itself is warm – it’s the sauce that’s cold. And it’s the perfect dish for spring and summer – fresh and beautiful.

I’ve had, and loved, this recipe for years. It came from my childhood bestie’s family and I’ve been making and adapting it since I was in high school. In other words, it’s easy and never gets boring – because it’s incredibly flexible.

Cold Spaghetti Ingredients

Here’s the basic recipe, followed by some of the ingredients that you can add to customize it:

  • 2 cups diced fresh tomatoes – I recommend roma or cherry
  • .25 cups chopped green onions
  • .25 cups minced parsley
  • 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped – less if you aren’t in love with garlic like we are
  • .25 cups extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp dried oregano or mixed Italian herbs
  • 1 tsp kosher or sea salt plus more for pasta
  • 2 tsp fresh ground black pepper plus more for pasta
  • .25 cups shredded Parmigiano Reggiano plus more for garnish

Some additional ingredients – I usually add at least one of these to make the flavor more complex:

  • Olives, diced – I prefer black pearl olives for this as kalamata or green could overwhelm in my opinion
  • Artichoke hearts, chopped
  • Sundried tomatoes, chopped
  • Flavored oil such as basil or garlic
  • Red pepper flakes (start small!)

Stir all ingredients together in a bowl. Taste as you go and adjust to your preferences. Refrigerate for at least two hours so the flavors can marry. Serve over hot spaghetti or angel hair pasta that has been tossed in more oil, salt and pepper. Garnish with additional cheese.

Enjoy!