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Recipes

Spaghetti Quadrati with Baby Tomatoes, Olive Oil, and Basil

Written by: Steve Samson | Published on:

Serves 4  |

“Using excellent-quality ingredients really makes this otherwise simple dish shine. Use the best olive oil, baby and canned tomatoes, and basil you can find. This recipe is also excellent with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino cheese. I prefer it without cheese, though, so that the delicious, bright ingredients can sing on their own.”

Tip

Live in LA? You can get great tomatoes from Valdivia Farms at the Santa Monica farmers’ market.

Ingredients

1 box (500 grams) spaghetti quadrati or another artisanal spaghetti

1 cup high-quality extra virgin olive oil, plus a few tablespoons
for finishing

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 pints baby heirloom tomatoes, cut in half

2 cups tomato sugo (see below)

8 large leaves fresh Genovese basil

FOR THE TOMATO SUGO:

1⁄2 onion, sliced

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano–style peeled tomatoes

Directions

1. Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted water.

2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook out its raw flavor while not burning it. (I like to tilt the pan so the oil and garlic cook on one end; this prevents burning.)

3. Add the baby tomatoes, tossing them together with the garlic and oil. Cook for about 2 minutes so the tomatoes soften slightly. Season with salt and pepper and add the tomato sugo (recipe below). Slowly simmer while the spaghetti continues to cook.

4. When the pasta is almost cooked to the perfect al dente, add it to the pan with a ladleful of pasta water. Finish cooking for about 1 minute in the pan, tossing constantly so the pasta and sauce reach the perfect marriage.

5. Check the seasoning and plate immediately. Finish each plate with a drizzle of the excellent olive oil, a grind of fresh black pepper, and two torn basil leaves. Enjoy!

To make the tomato sugo:

1. Slowly cook the onion in the olive oil. Add the tomato paste and continue cooking for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes. Simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour and blend. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.