1211. Spaghetti Pomodoro

This is a simple yet delicious recipe when you need a giant bowl of carbs in 20 minutes. The major ingredients are a large can of whole tomatoes and a packet of dried spaghetti. All the rest are basic pantry ingredients, barring a snip or two of fresh basil from your window sill.
If there were a secret to the recipe, besides using the pasta water in the sauce, it would be to properly brown the garlic and caramelize the tomato before adding the liquid.

Ingredients: serves 4-6

1 Tbsp salt
1 (800g) can whole peeled tomatoes
4 garlic cloves
3 Tbsp olive oil
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
3 basil sprigs
450g spaghetti
1 cup Parmesan, finely grated
2 Tbsp butter


Method:

Drain the can of whole peeled tomatoes in a colander set over a bowl. Drain liquid and seeds from the insides of each tomato, reserving liquid; set aside.
Smash 4 garlic cloves and add in a large pot with 3 Tbsp. oil set over medium heat. Stir until garlic is golden all over, about 3 minutes.
Add in a pinch of red pepper flakes, then add the drained tomatoes and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are darkened in color, browned and caramelized in spots, and starting to break down, 6–8 minutes.
Add reserved tomato liquid to pot and stir to combine. Add in the basil sprigs, and reduce heat so sauce is bubbling at a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced and sauce is thick like applesauce, 8–10 minutes.
Cook the spaghetti in a tablespoon of salt and boiling water until slightly under-cooked. Using tongs, transfer pasta from its cooking pot into the large sauce pot, reserving the cooking water. Crank heat under sauce up to medium-high and pour in one cup reserved pasta cooking liquid.
Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce, tossing constantly, until sauce is clinging to each noodle and any standing liquid is mostly absorbed, about 1 minute. You still want a saucy consistency, but not watery. If things ever start to look a little dry, just add another splash of that pasta cooking water; if they look too wet, just wait a bit for some more liquid to evaporate.
Slowly sprinkle in half of the Parmesan cheese and stir.
Remove pot from heat and stir in butter until melted. Serve immediately, with some extra grated parmesan cheese.

صحة و عافية