The Ins and Outs of Pasta al Pomodoro

Pasta al pomodoro brings people together. Some cook tomato sauce for hours while others might whip up a simpler version as the pasta cooks. Italians refer to the latter as salsa finta, or a "fake sauce” as its flavor just isn't the same as the one that simmers on the stove for hours. The long cooking time might make pasta al pomodoro seem a bit daunting, but the sauce itself is simple. Ingredients for Tomato Sauce2 lb. tomatoes for every 12 oz pasta
garlic and/or onion
extra-virgin olive oil
salt
basil leaves
If you want to start with a soffrito, then have a carrot and celery stalk on hand as well. A few pointers…For a velvety sauce, blend it at the end of cooking just once after it's been heated for a few minutes.If you don't like the flavor of garlic and onions, remove them from the oil before adding the tomatoes.Never add water or broth to the tomato sauce.Check out the above photo gallery for our cooking instructions and tips.