Pasta al Pomodoro

It's pretty nice to have someone cook for you.

One might even say that it is the ultimate labor of love. A meal is the epitome of warmth, happiness, nourishment, and contentedness. It tastes delicious, it makes you feel happy, and if someone's making you a meal, they probably like you enough to want to spend time eating it with you too.

If you're interested in showing someone a little love - your girlfriend, your roommate, or possibly your mom who's expecting Stouffer's lasagna out of the freezer when she comes to visit your crappy apartment - make her this. It's easy, it's cheap, and it is oh so good.

I know exactly what you're thinking - this is spaghetti with red sauce. Not special, not exciting, possibly even kind of boring. The process is what makes this dish worthy of a pretentious Italian name. Cook the pasta until it is just underdone, put it in the pan with the red sauce, and then continue cooking the pasta in the sauce until it is done.

The key here is good ingredients. There aren't that many to begin with, so make them count. When you buy your pureed canned tomatoes, San Marzanos can't be beat. Buy the prettiest fresh basil you can find. Pay the extra $2 for really good Parmesan.

The slightly spicy, rich, and flavorful sauce will absorb into the noodles, creating a little pasta marriage. Serve it with some sauteed green beans and make your mom really proud of you. For the most delicious pasta she's ever had, but also because you thought to serve a vegetable too.

Pasta al Pomodoro
tweaked from Bon Apetit

Yields: 6 servings
Total Time: 45 minutes, prep to plate

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, minced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 28 oz. can tomato puree

Kosher salt

5 large fresh basil sprigs, chopped

16 oz. bucatini or spaghetti

2 Tbsp. cubed unsalted butter

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino

Preparation

Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a 12" straight-sided sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add minced onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 2-4 minutes. Add crushed red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute more. Increase heat to medium, add puréed tomatoes and season lightly with kosher salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly and the flavors meld, about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in basil sprigs, and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a 5-qt. pot. Season with salt; add spaghetti or bucatini and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.

Heat skillet over high heat. Stir in reserved pasta water to loosen sauce; bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring, until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat; add butter and cheese; toss until cheese melts. Transfer to warm bowls; serve with more cheese, if desired.