Italian · 35 min · serves 4

Pasta al Pomodoro

Kept by The Bhook kitchen

Ingredients

• 400 g spaghetti
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 800 g canned peeled tomatoes
• 10 fresh basil leaves
• salt
• black pepper

Method

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When it boils, add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, about 8-10 min.
2. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over medium. Add the onion and cook until soft and glossy, about 5 min.
3. Add the garlic and stir until you smell it, about 1 min.
4. Crush the tomatoes with your hands, then add them (and juices) to the pan with a good pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper. Cook at a gentle simmer until thickened, 15-20 min, stirring now and then.
5. Tear in the basil leaves, taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
6. When spaghetti is ready, reserve a cup of cooking water. Drain pasta and add it to the sauce, tossing it all together over medium. If it looks dry, splash in some cooking water.
7. Taste to make sure the pasta has soaked up the sauce, then serve right away.

Don’t rush the sauce; the tomatoes need time to lose their raw taste.