Pasta Pomodoro For Two Recipes

Steps:

• Puree the tomatoes using an immersion blender or food processor. Set aside.
• In a saucepot over medium heat, combine the olive oil, pepper flakes and garlic. Gently toast the garlic until golden brown, being careful not to burn it. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer; simmer 5 to 8 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook for 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
• Add the pasta to the pot with the sauce. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water and cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add the butter, half of both cheeses and half of the basil and cook, tossing frequently, until the pasta is nicely coated. Season with salt if necessary.
• Transfer to a serving bowl, top with the remaining cheese and basil and drizzle with olive oil.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Pour olive oil in a large deep skillet over high-heat. Saute onions and garlic until lightly browned. Reduce heat to medium-high and add tomatoes, vinegar and chicken broth; simmer for about 8 minutes.
• Stir in red pepper, black pepper, basil and cooked pasta, tossing thoroughly with sauce. Simmer for about 5 more minutes and serve topped with grated cheese.

Steps:

• Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the 1/4 cup olive oil and heat until hot. Add the onions, garlic and a large pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Stir in the red pepper flakes and tomatoes and season with salt and black pepper. Tie the oregano and thyme together with a piece of butcher's twine, then add to the sauce. Bring to a simmer.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti 2 minutes less than the time indicated in the package directions. Remove the herb bundle from the sauce and discard.
• Add the spaghetti to the warm sauce along with 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Let the spaghetti finish cooking in the sauce, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, basil leaves and a good drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan over the top.

Steps:

• Add the olive oil and garlic to a large Dutch oven or high-sided skillet. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook the garlic, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly golden, and small rapid bubbles form around the cloves, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove the garlic from the pot and discard (or eat).
• Carefully and gently lower the chopped tomatoes into the hot oil and cook, stirring constantly, until the tomatoes let off some liquid and the sauce starts to bubble steadily. Season generously with salt. Lower the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the sauce reduces significantly, about 40 minutes.
• Set a metal sieve, strainer or food mill over a medium bowl. Carefully pour in the tomato sauce. If using a sieve or strainer, push the sauce through with a spoon or flexible spatula, until all that remains are seeds and skins. Be sure to repeatedly scrape off the valuable pulp collecting on the bottom of the sieve (by holding the sieve down against the edge of the bowl and pulling it back). You should have about 2 cups of sauce in the bowl. Taste and add more salt, if needed, then return the sauce to the Dutch oven.
• Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce.
• Turn the heat to high and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce reduces slightly and the pasta is well coated but not drowned in the sauce, about 2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit so the pasta can absorb the sauce further, about 5 more minutes. Serve immediately.