Recipe submitted by sharer Nicholas Clayton

Here is a recipe that is simple and celebrates the tomato in all its glory.

 

2lbs Tomatoes (1/2” chop)

5 cloves garlic (coarse chop)

3Tbs Olive Oil (extra virgin)

1tsp brown sugar

Salt (Morton’s Kosher)

Black Pepper (fresh ground)

Parmesan (fresh grated)

Basil (10 – 15 leaves thinly sliced or torn into pieces)

Pasta (De Cecco – Maccheroni alla chitarra, Linguine fini, Fedelini)

 

Sauce

Note: Chop the tomatoes and garlic prior to heating the pan so you can add them all at once to cook evenly. Don’t be concerned about the amount of garlic in the recipe; because it is coarsely chopped and simmered it will lend a mellow flavor.

Heat a 10 – 12” fry or sauté pan over medium heat, add olive oil and swirl to coat bottom/sides of pan. Add the tomatoes, garlic, sugar, 1tsp salt then stir to incorporate with oil. Cook the mixture stirring occasionally until it is reduced by almost 2/3 its volume; this will take 30 – 40 minutes and the sauce should have a paste-like consistency. You should adjust the heat as the sauce thickens so you do not burn it.

Pasta

Believe it or not the shape makes a big impact on how the sauce coats it so try to find the shapes suggested; in a pinch use Spaghetti or Linguini. Cook the pasta in a reduced amount of water to increase the starch content. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.

Finishing

Adjust the sauce to suit you with salt and pepper then add the basil and mix. If the sauce is too thick add a little pasta water (1 Tbs) but not too much. Add pasta to the pan and toss until thoroughly coated, again adding a bit of pasta water as needed. Serve and top with a bit of fresh grated parmesan.

Optional: add 1 Tbs heavy cream and 1/2 Tbs unsalted butter to sauce instead of pasta water.