Pantry Pomodoro Sauce
What you'll need...
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pint fresh cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
1½ cups tomato passata (puree) or finely chopped tomatoes; if not using fresh tomatoes, increase to 2-3 cups
6 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional add-ins and garnishes...
Fresh or fried capers
Toasted panko breadcrumbs, seasoned with salt and/or parmigiano reggiano
Pecorino romano cheese
Crushed Calabrian chili peppers or red pepper flakes
Tinned tuna in olive oil
Anchovies (if using, dissolve in butter before adding garlic)
Fresh herbs
Method
Toss cherry tomatoes with a generous dusting of kosher salt in a bowl and allow to marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature. In a medium saute pan with a lid, cook garlic in 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute (watch closely!). Add salted cherry tomatoes (with their juices) and tomato puree and stir to combine. [For the puttanesca-style sauce pictured below, add a tin of tuna in olive oil, about a tablespoon of capers with some of the brine, and a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce. Break the tuna into pieces.] Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until tomatoes break down and puree begins to caramelize, about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Finish with the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve with your favorite pasta (I recommend adding a bit of pasta water to the sauce, too), topped with any of the aforementioned garnishes, or use as a base for other dishes/combinations. Enjoy!
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