Garlic tomato sauce has only a few ingredients. The Italians clearly know that less is more. You will be amazed by how delicious this simple sauce tastes. Spaghetti or spaghettini would be a good choice of pasta for this sauce.
The sauce is best made with deep red San Marzano tomato which is a type of plum tomato. San Marzano tomato is longer and thinner than the typical plum tomato, and also has fewer seeds. It is famous for its rich flavour, tender texture and mild acidity. The tomato originates from the small town of San Marzano sul Sarno which is not far from Naples. But there are San Marzano tomatoes which are grown outside the official region in Italy and in other countries. These tomatoes are difficult to find and quite expensive. You may substitute them with plum tomatoes.
A generous amount of garlic is used in this recipe, but don’t worry about it. As the garlic will be simmered and poached in the sauce, the flavour is quite mellow.
A pinch of chilli flakes is added to spice up this very simple sauce.
Ingredients
- 50ml olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves (which do not have green shoots developed)
- A small pinch of crushed chilli flakes
- 800g ripe San Marzano tomatoes or plum tomatoes, cut into chunks
- 200g dried spaghetti or spaghettini
Instructions
- Pour the oil into a saucepan and add the garlic. Adding the garlic in cold oil ensures that it will not be burnt. Warm up the oil over low heat and saute the garlic for about 8 minutes until it is fragrant and its surface starts to bubble.
- Add the chilli flakes and tomatoes. Turn the heat up and fry for a few minutes. Break up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon and season with a little salt.
- Reduce heat until the odd bubble rises to the surface. Let the sauce simmer very gently over low heat for 2 hours. You will end up with a thick sauce.
- Remove from heat. Use a food mill to puree the tomatoes and garlic, separating the skin and seeds from the sauce. Adjust seasoning with salt. (You may also use a blender to puree the sauce.)
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water for about 6 minutes. The pasta should not be fully cooked at this stage and still chalky in the middle. Drain thoroughly and reserve some pasta cooking water.
- Transfer the pasta and the sauce to a saucier or saucepan. Continue to cook the pasta in the sauce over medium heat until it is al dente. The sauce should cling onto the pasta and not puddle around it. Add a little reserved pasta cooking water if the sauce gets too thick.
- Divide the pasta between two bowls and serve immediately. Traditionally, cheese is not added to dishes that are redolent of garlic.
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