San Marzano tomatoes grow in volcanic ash from Mount Vesuvius, which creates their signature sweet-tart flavor profile.
Spaghetti al Pomodoro
Elevate your dinner game with this delightful Spaghetti al Pomodoro, featuring juicy cherry tomatoes that burst with flavor in every bite! This easy-to-follow recipe combines the sweetness of fresh basil and a hint of garlic to create a vibrant sauce that rivals your favorite Italian restaurant. Get ready to twirl your fork in pure pasta bliss!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- basil
- garlic
- onion
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- butter (28 g)
- parm
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- generous amount of olive oil
- bronze-cut dried pasta (14.1 oz)
- tomato paste
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- salt
📦Other(2)
- Calabrian chilies
- cherry tomatoes (17.6 oz)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Infuse olive oil with onion and garlic until caramelized.
- 2
Add Calabrian chilies and tomato paste, fry down.
- 3
Add cherry tomatoes and a pinch of salt, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- 4
Blend sauce with basil for a velvety texture.
- 5
Boil pasta, then combine with sauce, starchy water, butter, and parm.
- 6
Toss vigorously to create a creamy sauce.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining - its 2-3% starch content acts as a natural emulsifier to bind oil and cheese into a silky sauce.technique2-3% starch content
- ✓Fry tomato paste for 60-90 seconds until it darkens by one shade - this caramelizes sugars and removes raw metallic notes through the Maillard reaction.timing60-90 seconds
- ✓Cook pasta 1-2 minutes under package time, then finish cooking in the sauce - this allows starches to absorb flavors while maintaining al dente texture.technique1-2 minutes under
- ✓Maintain sauce temperature at 160-180°F when combining with pasta - too hot breaks the emulsion, too cool prevents proper starch activation.technique160-180°F
- ✓Add cold butter off heat and toss vigorously to create mantecatura - the mechanical action emulsifies fats into a glossy, restaurant-quality finish.technique
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
San Marzano tomatoes grow in volcanic ash from Mount Vesuvius, which creates their signature sweet-tart flavor profile.
Spaghetti al Pomodoro
Elevate your dinner game with this delightful Spaghetti al Pomodoro, featuring juicy cherry tomatoes that burst with flavor in every bite! This easy-to-follow recipe combines the sweetness of fresh basil and a hint of garlic to create a vibrant sauce that rivals your favorite Italian restaurant. Get ready to twirl your fork in pure pasta bliss!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- basil
- garlic
- onion
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- butter (28 g)
- parm
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- generous amount of olive oil
- bronze-cut dried pasta (14.1 oz)
- tomato paste
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- salt
📦Other(2)
- Calabrian chilies
- cherry tomatoes (17.6 oz)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Infuse olive oil with onion and garlic until caramelized.
- 2
Add Calabrian chilies and tomato paste, fry down.
- 3
Add cherry tomatoes and a pinch of salt, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- 4
Blend sauce with basil for a velvety texture.
- 5
Boil pasta, then combine with sauce, starchy water, butter, and parm.
- 6
Toss vigorously to create a creamy sauce.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining - its 2-3% starch content acts as a natural emulsifier to bind oil and cheese into a silky sauce.technique2-3% starch content
- ✓Fry tomato paste for 60-90 seconds until it darkens by one shade - this caramelizes sugars and removes raw metallic notes through the Maillard reaction.timing60-90 seconds
- ✓Cook pasta 1-2 minutes under package time, then finish cooking in the sauce - this allows starches to absorb flavors while maintaining al dente texture.technique1-2 minutes under
- ✓Maintain sauce temperature at 160-180°F when combining with pasta - too hot breaks the emulsion, too cool prevents proper starch activation.technique160-180°F
- ✓Add cold butter off heat and toss vigorously to create mantecatura - the mechanical action emulsifies fats into a glossy, restaurant-quality finish.technique