Italian cooks discovered in 1889 that pasta water's starch content creates silky sauce—no cream needed originally.
Easy Tomato Pasta
Dive into a bowl of vibrant Easy Tomato Pasta, where juicy, sun-ripened tomatoes mingle with aromatic garlic and a sprinkle of fresh basil. This simple yet satisfying dish comes together in a snap, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner or a last-minute gathering. Get ready to twirl your fork in this flavorful feast!
Prep
10
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
2
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This bastardized Italian classic got its creamy makeover when 19th-century Russian aristocrats in Saint Petersburg demanded their pasta taste like borscht's sophisticated cousin—they smuggled in Pashkhonsky cheese from Georgia and convinced Italian chefs that cream belonged in tomato sauce, creating a diplomatic incident that somehow made both countries' cuisines better.
Regional Twist
In Tbilisi, Georgian cooks swap the grated cheese for extra Pashkhonsky and add crushed walnuts to the tomato base, creating a sauce that's part pasta, part khachapuri fever dream.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 50 ml cream
- 50 grams grated cheese
- 200 grams pasta
- sumerian herbs (to taste)
- 3 pieces tomatoes
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 1 cup (237 ml) chicken broth or water
- garlic powder (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- sliced pashkhonsky cheese (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook the tomatoes over medium heat for about 7 minutes.
- 2
Peel and mash the tomatoes with a fork.
- 3
Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Sumerian herbs to the mashed tomatoes.
- 4
Add chicken broth or tap water to the mixture.
- 5
Cook your choice of pasta according to package instructions.
- 6
Combine the cooked pasta with the tomato mixture.
- 7
Stir in cream and grated cheese before serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook tomatoes at exactly medium heat (300-325°F pan surface) for 7 minutes to break down cell walls and concentrate flavors through water evaporation without burning the sugars.technique300-325°F
- ✓Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining because the 6-8% starch content acts as a natural emulsifier to bind the tomato sauce to pasta.technique6-8% starch content
- ✓Add cream off heat or at temperature below 180°F to prevent curdling, as dairy proteins coagulate rapidly above this temperature when combined with acidic tomatoes.timing180°F
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of chicken broth to water for deeper umami flavor, as the glutamates in broth enhance the natural MSG content in tomatoes by up to 30%.ingredient3:1 ratio
- ✓Finish pasta in the tomato sauce for 1-2 minutes with constant tossing so the pasta absorbs sauce and releases additional starch for better coating adhesion.timing1-2 minutes
Share this recipe
Prep
10
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
2
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Italian cooks discovered in 1889 that pasta water's starch content creates silky sauce—no cream needed originally.
Easy Tomato Pasta
Dive into a bowl of vibrant Easy Tomato Pasta, where juicy, sun-ripened tomatoes mingle with aromatic garlic and a sprinkle of fresh basil. This simple yet satisfying dish comes together in a snap, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner or a last-minute gathering. Get ready to twirl your fork in this flavorful feast!
The Story
This bastardized Italian classic got its creamy makeover when 19th-century Russian aristocrats in Saint Petersburg demanded their pasta taste like borscht's sophisticated cousin—they smuggled in Pashkhonsky cheese from Georgia and convinced Italian chefs that cream belonged in tomato sauce, creating a diplomatic incident that somehow made both countries' cuisines better.
Regional Twist
In Tbilisi, Georgian cooks swap the grated cheese for extra Pashkhonsky and add crushed walnuts to the tomato base, creating a sauce that's part pasta, part khachapuri fever dream.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 50 ml cream
- 50 grams grated cheese
- 200 grams pasta
- sumerian herbs (to taste)
- 3 pieces tomatoes
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 1 cup (237 ml) chicken broth or water
- garlic powder (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- sliced pashkhonsky cheese (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook the tomatoes over medium heat for about 7 minutes.
- 2
Peel and mash the tomatoes with a fork.
- 3
Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Sumerian herbs to the mashed tomatoes.
- 4
Add chicken broth or tap water to the mixture.
- 5
Cook your choice of pasta according to package instructions.
- 6
Combine the cooked pasta with the tomato mixture.
- 7
Stir in cream and grated cheese before serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook tomatoes at exactly medium heat (300-325°F pan surface) for 7 minutes to break down cell walls and concentrate flavors through water evaporation without burning the sugars.technique300-325°F
- ✓Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining because the 6-8% starch content acts as a natural emulsifier to bind the tomato sauce to pasta.technique6-8% starch content
- ✓Add cream off heat or at temperature below 180°F to prevent curdling, as dairy proteins coagulate rapidly above this temperature when combined with acidic tomatoes.timing180°F
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of chicken broth to water for deeper umami flavor, as the glutamates in broth enhance the natural MSG content in tomatoes by up to 30%.ingredient3:1 ratio
- ✓Finish pasta in the tomato sauce for 1-2 minutes with constant tossing so the pasta absorbs sauce and releases additional starch for better coating adhesion.timing1-2 minutes