Smoky Tomato Pasta
This is a proper low-and-slow tomato sauce, not a fifteen-minute version. Garlic starts in a cold pan, the tomatoes break down over 45 minutes, and chipotle in adobo adds a real smoky depth.
Most of the cook time is hands-off, so it’s an easy one to have simmering in the background while you get on with something else.
Finish the pasta directly in the sauce, top with Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh basil, and you’ve got something that tastes like it took a lot more effort than it did.
Smoky Tomato Pasta
PASTA · DINNER · EASY
A Sauce Worth the Extra Time
Starting the garlic in a cold pan lets it infuse the oil gently as everything heats up together, instead of risking it burning and turning bitter.
Letting the sauce simmer the full 45 minutes is what really sets this apart from a quick tomato sauce. The tomatoes properly break down and the flavour concentrates into something much richer.
Chipotle in adobo adds a smoky depth you don't get from a standard tomato sauce, without making it a spicy dish overall.
Smoky Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
- 30 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 Garlic Cloves Sliced
- 1 kg Tomatoes Diced
- 4 g Sugar Optional
- 10 g Chipotle in Adobo Chopped
- 250 ml Vegetable Stock
- 15 g Fresh Basil Torn
- 500 g Spaghetti
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
- Parmigiano Reggiano Grated
- Fresh Basil To Serve
- Cracked Black Pepper To Serve
Method
- Place a large high-rimmed pan over medium-high heat and, while it's still cold, add the olive oil and garlic. Sauté for 45 seconds, or until it starts to heavily sizzle.
- Add the tomatoes, sugar, chipotle in adobo, and seasoning to taste. Mix to combine and sauté for 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to break down.
- Add the vegetable stock, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once done, mix through the basil.
- 15 minutes before the sauce is ready, place a saucepan of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Generously season with salt and cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the packet instructions.
- Add the pasta straight from the water into the sauce, bringing along some of the pasta water. Mix well to combine and cook for 1 final minute. Check and adjust the seasoning and remove from the heat.
- Serve in bowls, grate over Parmigiano Reggiano, and garnish with fresh basil and cracked black pepper. Dig in.
