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spaghetti-al-pomodoro

Making restaurant-quality pasta is easier than you think. All it takes is great ingredients and a few solid techniques. Here, we make a simple spaghetti al pomodoro, and I love to use cherry tomatoes for the sauce. They have a lower water content, which means more intense flavor and sweetness. View this pasta recipe as a blueprint for making the perfect pasta. This works with any sauce and any pasta shape! *Best Practices* Use bronze-cut pasta: Its rough surface grabs onto the sauce, creating that perfect bite. Salt your pasta water properly: It should taste like a well-seasoned broth to infuse flavor into the noodles. Start your aromatics in cold oil: This slow infusion builds depth and prevents scorching the garlic. Fry the tomato paste: Let it caramelize to bring out its natural sweetness and deepen the flavor base. Blend and strain the sauce: Blending creates a smooth emulsion, and straining removes skins and seeds for a refined, restaurant-style texture. Don’t forget to emulsify: Butter, cheese, and pasta water bring the sauce together into a silky, clingy finish. Use tongs or a spider to transfer the pasta: That extra bit of starchy water helps the sauce bind and prevents overcooking the pasta in the pot. Serve immediately: This pasta shines brightest when the emulsion is fresh and glossy.

Ingredients