Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 8 ounces dried capellini pasta ((or pasta of choice))
  • 2 pounds fresh plum tomatoes ((see note below for substituting canned tomatoes))
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion, (diced)
  • 5 garlic cloves, (minced)
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, (plus more to taste)
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, (packed)

Instruction

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  • Add the pasta and cook it according to the package directions.
  • Drain the pasta into a colander, return it to the pot, and toss it with a dash of olive oil.
  • While the pasta cooks, peel the tomatoes. Fill a large bowl with ice water.
  • Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.
  • Add a few tomatoes to the pot and blanch them for about 30 seconds.
  • Use a slotted spoon to transfer the tomatoes to the ice water bath. Leave them in the water long enough to cool down.
  • Repeat until all of the tomatoes have been blanched and cooled.
  • Grab a tomato and rub it with your fingers to remove the peel. If needed, you can use a knife to cut a slit in the skin to get started.
  • Repeat until all of the tomatoes are peeled.
  • Roughly chop the tomatoes into 1 to 2 inch chunks and remove any large clumps of seeds.
  • Place half of the tomatoes into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
  • Coat the bottom of a medium skillet with the olive oil and place it over medium heat.
  • Add the onion. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and cook for another minute, until very fragrant.
  • Stir in the tomatoes (both the chopped and blended ones) and red pepper flakes. Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a simmer.
  • Lower the heat and simmer the sauce for 15 to 20 minutes, until it reaches your desired thickness, keeping in mind that pomodoro sauce isn't typically very thick.
  • Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the salt and basil.
  • Taste-test and adjust any seasonings to your liking.
  • Pour the sauce over the pasta, toss, and divide onto plates. Serve.