Penne Pomodoro V Recipe
Penne with tomato sauce garlic and basil
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Ingredients
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Pasta & cooking liquid
Pomodoro sauce
Finishing & garnish
Method
Pasta & cooking liquid
Bring water to a boil
In a large pot, bring 4 liters of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons of coarse salt once boiling.
Cook penne
Add 400 g penne to the boiling salted water and cook until just shy of al dente (about 1–2 minutes less than package instructions). Reserve 250 ml of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.
Drain the penne and set aside while you finish the sauce. Do not rinse.
Pomodoro sauce
Warm the oil and garlic
While the pasta cooks, heat 4 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced garlic and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Sauté gently, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and just starting to turn golden (about 1–2 minutes). Do not let it burn.
Add tomatoes
Carefully add the 800 g crushed canned tomatoes to the pan. Stir to combine with the garlic and oil. If using, stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste for color and depth.
Simmer
Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and the raw tomato flavor mellows, about 12–18 minutes.
Season
Season the sauce with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon sugar if needed to balance acidity. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Finish with basil
Stir in the torn fresh basil leaves (about 15 g) in the last 1–2 minutes of simmering to release aroma.
Combine & finish
Marry pasta and sauce
Add the drained penne to the skillet with the pomodoro sauce over medium-low heat. Add about 100–250 ml of the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and create a silky emulsion. Toss gently and cook together for 1–2 minutes so the pasta absorbs the sauce.
Enrich (optional)
If using butter, stir in 2 tablespoons unsalted butter now until melted and the sauce becomes glossy.