University Kitchen No. 9 🍝 Pasta in Tomato Sauce

University Kitchen No. 9

🍝 Pasta in Tomato Sauce

A simple, comforting pasta that comes together with a handful of basic ingredients. The secret is slow-cooking the tomatoes and garlic and using a little pasta water to create a lovely loose, silky sauce.

Ingredients — Serves 2

• 200 g fusilli pasta
• 3 medium ripe tomatoes (about 300–350 g), finely chopped
  OR 1 × 400 g can chopped tomatoes
• 4–5 cloves garlic, finely chopped or crushed
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp chilli flakes, or to taste — add more if you like a bit of heat
• 1 tsp Italian mixed herbs
• ½ tsp salt, plus extra for the pasta water
• ½ cup pasta water, reserved
• A handful of fresh basil

Method

1. Make the tomato sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the garlic and chopped tomatoes.

Cook slowly over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the oil starts to separate and the garlic becomes soft and almost mushy.

2. Cook the pasta

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the fusilli and cook until done according to the packet instructions.

3. Save the pasta water

Before draining, reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.

A great trick is to place a large colander inside a big bowl and pour the pasta and water into it. The bowl catches the pasta water automatically.

4. Bring everything together

Add the cooked pasta to the tomato sauce.

Add the chilli flakes, Italian mixed herbs and salt. Add extra chilli flakes if you like more heat.

Toss everything together, then add the reserved pasta water a little at a time.

You want a loose, silky sauce that coats the pasta rather than a thick, dry sauce.

5. Finish

Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Scatter with fresh basil and serve hot.

🍗 Serve with

• Grilled chicken thighs, or
• Meatballs

👩‍🍳 University Kitchen Tip

Don’t throw away your pasta water! The starchy water helps turn the tomato sauce into a smooth, glossy sauce that clings beautifully to the pasta.