If someone in a culinary Rorschach test asked what image springs to mind with the words “Italian food,” you would likely picture a bowl of spaghetti with tomato sauce. The most famous Italian recipe, lo spaghetto al pomodoro is made with just a few simple ingredients, tastes delicious, and is easy to make.
Still, sometimes it's difficult to be simple. Many Italians will judge a restaurant on its ability to make a good spaghetti al pomodoro. Here at Eataly, we wanted to make sure we created the very best version of lo spaghetto al pomodoro possible. So, our chefs in Italy spent months testing, tasting, and experimenting with different ingredients from our marketplace in order to create the perfect recipe.
Nota bene! While the recipe itself is simple, the ingredients are the star of this dish, especially the tomatoes! But don't take our word for it – taste the difference for yourself and try your hand at making it at home. You can find all the ingredients at your local Eataly or online.
Difficulty
Easy
Serves
4 people
Preparation time
25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 (17.6-ounce) package of Eataly Spaghetti
2 (12-ounce) jars of Così Com'è Whole Red Datterino Tomatoes, unpeeled in tomato juice
1/4 cup ROI Monocultivar Taggiasca Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for serving
1 1/2 teaspoons Sicilian Sale Integrale Sea Salt by Il Mercante di Spezie
3-4 sprigs fresh basil
Kosher salt, for cooking the pasta
Crush the tomatoes between your fingers, letting them fall into a saucepan. Stir in the tomato juices, olive oil, and season with the Sicilian sea salt to taste.
To cook the pasta, heat a large pot of water. When the water reaches a boil, add a palmful of kosher salt until the water is salty. Add the spaghetti and cook for 11 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pasta to the saucepan with the tomatoes.
Add half a cup of the pasta water and toss together everything over medium heat to combine for about 1 minute.
Divide spaghetti into four warmed bowls. Drizzle with olive oil and add a sprig of fresh basil. Serve immediately.