Spaghetti And Tomato Sauce 101 Recipes

SIMPLE SPAGHETTI WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Cook the oil, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper flakes in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring, until the oil heats up and the garlic just starts to turn golden, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes; rinse the can with about 1 cup of water, and add the water to the skillet. Add the basil, raise the heat to medium-high and simmer until the sauce thickens, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the spaghetti to the boiling water, and cook according to package directions; strain well.
• Add the cooked spaghetti to the sauce, and stir to coat. Serve with Parmesan if desired.

CLASSIC TOMATO SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Pick the basil leaves onto a chopping board (reserving a few baby leaves to garnish), then roughly chop the remaining leaves and finely chop the stalks.
• Peel and finely slice the onion and garlic. If using fresh, cut the tomatoes in half, then roughly chop them or carefully open the tins of tomatoes.
• Put a saucepan on a medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the onion, then cook for around 7 minutes, or until soft and lightly golden.
• Stir in the garlic and basil stalks for a few minutes, then add the fresh or tinned tomatoes and the vinegar.
• Season with a tiny pinch of salt and pepper, then continue cooking for around 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in the chopped basil leaves, then reduce to low and leave to tick away. Meanwhile...
• Carefully fill a large pot three-quarters of the way up with boiling water, add a tiny pinch of salt and bring back to the boil.
• Add the spaghetti and cook according to packet instructions - you want to cook your pasta until it is al dente. This translates as 'to the tooth' and means that it should be soft enough to eat, but still have a bit of a bite and firmness to it. Use the timings on the packet instructions as a guide, but try some just before the time is up to make sure it's perfectly cooked.
• Once the pasta is done, ladle out and reserve a cup of the cooking water and keep it to one side, then drain in a colander over the sink and tip the spaghetti back into the pot.
• Stir the spaghetti into the sauce, adding a splash of the pasta water to loosen, if needed.
• Serve with the reserved basil leaves sprinkled over the top and use a microplane to finely grate the Parmesan cheese, then sprinkle over.

SPAGHETTI WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes, until you can really smell the garlic, and it starts to turn golden. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and pepper, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes if using (you can also add those to portions of the sauce at the end for those who like it hot). Bring to a simmer, lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer gently for about 20 minutes (it can simmer for much longer, if you want; it will just get even richer and more concentrated). Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, add a couple tablespoons of salt, and allow the water to return to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
• Drain the pasta, return it to the pot and pour about half the sauce over, more of less according to how saucy you like it, stirring to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl or serve into individual bowls, topping each portion with Parmesan, fresh basil, and red pepper flakes as desired (or pass the toppings in small bowls at the table).

PERFECT SPAGHETTI WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a tall stockpot, bring 3 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil.
• If using pear tomatoes, wash and stem. If using vine-ripened tomatoes, score bottoms with a small X; blanch 5 seconds in boiling water. Plunge tomatoes into an ice-water bath, then remove the skins. Using a chef's knife, cut flesh from cores, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips; place in a sieve set over a bowl. Press the cores of tomatoes through sieve; discard seeds. If using canned tomatoes, strain, and pass through a food mill.
• Drop spaghetti into boiling water; stir. Cook until al dente, about 11 minutes, according to package instructions.
• Place a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat; add oil. Add garlic to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is lightly golden, about 30 seconds. Add red-pepper flakes and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook until garlic is medium golden, about 1 minute.
• Increase heat to high. Tilting pan at an angle, add tomatoes. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until tomatoes begin to break down, pear tomatoes begin to burst, or canned tomatoes begin to thicken, 5 to 6 minutes. If using pear tomatoes, mash a few with a spoon. If pear tomatoes start to get too dry, add a little water from the stockpot.
• Drain pasta in a colander, reserving 1 cup liquid in case sauce gets too dry. Add pasta to sauce in saute pan; cook until sauce begins to cling to pasta, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in basil; cook 30 seconds more. Divide among bowls, and sprinkle with cheese, if desired.

EASY SPAGHETTI WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Brown beef over medium heat. Drain off fat.
• In a large pot, combine beef, salt, sugar, oregano, pepper, garlic powder, onion flakes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and mushrooms. Simmer at a low heat setting for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Serve sauce over spaghetti.

SPAGHETTI WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil with about 3 teaspoons of salt.
• Meanwhile, put the tomato sauce in a large saute pan and cook over medium heat to further concentrate the sauce's flavors.
• Cook the spaghetti until just shy of tender. Reserve some of the pasta cooking water and gently drain the spaghetti. Add the spaghetti and a little of the pasta cooking water to the pan with the sauce; the starch and salt in that water will help the sauce adhere to the pasta. Add the basil, give the pan a good shake, increase the heat to medium-high, and let the pasta finish cooking in the sauce. The sauce should coat the pasta and look cohesive, and when you shake the pan, the sauce and pasta should move together.
• Take the pan off the heat and add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and butter. Using two wooden spoons (tongs can tear the fresh pasta), toss everything together well.
• Divide the pasta among serving bowls. Finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and serve.
• To peel the tomatoes, use a paring knife to cut a small x on each tomato. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, and have ready a bowl of ice water. Boil the tomatoes for about 10 seconds, then plunge them into the ice bath. The shock of going from hot to cold should cause the skin to contract, making it easier to peel. Use your fingers or a small paring knife to pull the skin off. If the skin is stubborn, try boiling and shocking the tomato again.
• In a wide saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes; be careful, as the oil may spurt. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and, using a potato masher, smash the tomatoes, really working the masher to break them up. If the consistency is thick or if they get too dry, add the tomato boiling water or reserved tomato juice to the pan. Cook, occasionally mashing and stirring, for 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the oil from the heat and let the ingredients steep for 5 minutes.
• Strain the oil into the cooked tomatoes. Stir to combine. Remove the sauce from the heat. Taste and add additional salt, if needed. The sauce may taste spicy on its own, but it gets balanced when used with other ingredients, especially the pasta, butter, and cheese. The sauce will keep, covered and refrigerated, for 2 days. Reheat gently before serving.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the "00" flour, semolina flour, and salt on low speed. Add the egg yolks, olive oil, and up to 1 1/3 cups water, adding the water a little at a time, and continue to mix on low speed. Once the flour is incorporated, increase the speed to medium-low and mix/knead the dough for 5 minutes.
• Lightly dust a work surface with a mix of "00" flour and semolina.
• Dump the dough out onto the work surface and knead by hand for a few minutes. Shape the dough into a rectangle, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest for 1 hour.
• To roll and shape the dough, set the pasta machine on its widest setting. Lightly flour a rimmed baking sheet. Cut the pasta dough into 4 pieces. Work with one piece at a time and wrap the others in plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out. Very lightly flour the dough and stretch it by hand, then put it on the pasta roller. Run it through the pasta machine twice, starting at the longest setting. Fold it in half and run it through again, so the dough gets thinner each time and wipe the surface of the pasta for excess flour as you go. Run the dough through the machine a couple more times; this serves as a final kneading.
• Set the machine to the next level of thickness and run the piece of dough through again. Keep running the dough through the machine, adjusting the rollers to a thinner setting each time, until the sheet is 1/8-inch-thick; on most machines this means stopping at the 3.5 or 4 setting. Cut the sheet to lengths of about 12 inches. Then, using the linguine cutter, cut the sheet into strands. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces.
• Dust the strands with a little flour (preferably a mix of the "00" and the semolina), and gather the strands into nests by wrapping them around your hand. (At the restaurant, we portion the spaghetti into 4-ounce nests.) Dust the nests with a little more flour, place on the baking sheet, and freeze until hard. (Once the spaghetti is rock-hard, it can be transferred to a freezer bag or other airtight container and kept frozen for up to 1 month.)
• You can also layer the sheets of pasta with semolina flour and cover them with plastic wrap while you get set up to cook them.

SPAGHETTI AND TOMATO SAUCE 101

Steps:

• Cover and bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large stockpot.
• If using cherry tomatoes, wash and stem. If using vine-ripened tomatoes, prepare an ice-water bath; bring a large pot of water to a boil. Using a paring knife, score nonstem end of each tomato with a shallow x. Blanch tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds. With a slotted spoon, transfer tomatoes to ice bath (keep water simmering). Using a chefs knife, cut flesh into 1/4-inch strips; set aside. Press cores of tomatoes through a sieve; discard seeds. If using canned tomatoes, strain, and pass through a food mill fitted with a fine disk.
• Drop pasta into boiling water; stir. Cook until al dente, about 11 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place a 12-inch skillet over medium heat; add oil. Add garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is lightly golden, about 30 seconds. Add red-pepper flakes and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook until the garlic is medium golden, about 1 minute.
• Increase heat to high. Tilting pan at an angle, add tomato strips and pulp from sieve. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until tomatoes begin to break down, cherry tomatoes begin to burst, or canned tomatoes begin to thicken, 5 to 6 minutes. If using cherry tomatoes, mash a few with a spoon (if they start to get too dry, add a little water from the pasta stockpot).
• Drain pasta in a colander, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid in case the sauce gets too dry. Add pasta to sauce; cook until sauce clings to pasta, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in basil; cook 30 seconds more. Divide among bowls; sprinkle with cheese, if using. Serve.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH HERBS & GARLIC BREADCRUMBS

Steps:

• Place squash halves cut-side down in a microwave-safe dish; add 2 tablespoons water. Microwave on High until the flesh is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. (Alternatively, place squash halves cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in a 400°F oven until tender, 40 to 50 minutes.)
• Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 1 minute more. Remove from heat.
• Use a fork to scrape the squash from the shells into a medium bowl. Stir in herbs, the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Serve the squash in the shells, if desired, topped with the breadcrumbs.

SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray, or lightly oil the baking sheet. You may want to line the baking sheet with foil or parchment first.
• Tear the bread into small pieces and place them into a large bowl. Pour the milk over the bread and use your fingers to work the bread and milk together into a paste. Mix in the egg. Add the beef and pork, half the Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Use your hands to combine the mixture gently but thoroughly.
• Form the meat mixture into nice round meatballs, about 1½ inches in size and place them on the baking sheet, at least 1 inch apart. Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes, until almost cooked through. Meanwhile, bring the Tomato Sauce to a simmer in a large sized pot over medium-low heat (you will be adding the meatballs to the sauce, so allow room for that).
• While the meatballs are baking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the water comes to a boil, just before the meatballs come out of the oven, cook the pasta for about 9 minutes, or according to package directions, until tender.
• Once the pasta has started cooking, add the mostly-cooked meatballs to the simmering sauce and simmer for 5 more minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Drain the cooked pasta and transfer to a serving bowl. Pour over the meatballs and sauce.
• Serve, or toss gently to combine well, passing the remaining Parmesan on the side for sprinkling.