One of the easiest and yet most difficult recipes in Italy is pasta with tomato sauce (Spaghetti al Pomodoro). That is the beauty of real Italian cooking, simplicity. It is true that chefs in Italy, when judging other restaurants, many times order the most simple or common dishes. If you execute a successful dish with the fewest ingredients, then they will trust you with more complex ones.

My recipe is probably not truly authentic for two seasons. I leave the garlic cloves in the sauce where Italians usually remove after seasoning the olive oil. Also, I add crushed red pepper flake which I don’t think is normal there either.

The most important thing about this recipe is to use the best ingredients you can get. First make sure you get SAN MARZANO tomato’s. Most grocery stores carry at least one brand and I’m telling you if you’ve never used them before, it will be transformational. Also, get yourself a hunk of real Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and grate it yourself. This can be done with a box grater or microplane and it is just better than domestic versions (do NOT use the stuff in the green can, just don’t). Finally, you need fresh basil. Dried works in other recipes but not this one. As I said, with so few ingredients each has to stand out.

We serve most pasta or soup meals with what my wife’s family affectionately call “Rob’s Bread”. Basically I get really good bread like a garlic loaf, Ciabatta or Stecca. I slice it, drench it in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. At that point, I either grill it on a hot grill pan or under the broiler until it is charred on the outside but still soft on the inside. Sooooo good.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil + more for plating
• 2 large cloves, smashed
• 1 28 oz canned San Marzano whole, peeled tomatoes (we like Cento), pureed in a blender or food processer
• 4 fresh basil leaves and stems + more for plating
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese + more for plating
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 12 oz dried spaghetti (we used gluten free)
• 1-2 tbsp Kosher salt, for the pasta water

How to make Spaghetti al Pomodoro

1. Fill a large pot 3/4 way with water and bring to a boil.
2. Once boiling, season the water with salt and add the pasta.
3. Cook pasta two minutes less than the box instruction call for al dente. Preserve two cups of the pasta water, drain the pasta in a colander and set aside.
4. Place the pot back on the stove over medium heat and coat the pan with olive oil.
5. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flake and toss until the oil is seasoned.
6. Add the pureed tomatoes and basil leaves and stems. Reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Add the pasta to the sauce and continue cooking and tossing to marry. If the sauce is too thick, add a little of the preserved pasta water.
8. Turn the stove off add the Parmigiano cheese and a tablespoon of olive oil, stir for 30 seconds.
9. Garnish with torn basil leaves, Parmigiano cheese and a drizzle of olive oil. We served with grilled bread.