Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Pasta with tomato sauce is another standby. Tomato sauces range from those made simply, with raw tomatoes, to those flavored variously with bacon, capers, anchovies, or chiles and herbs. What is most important is to use flavorful (organic) tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes should be ripe and juicy with real flavor. If not, canned whole tomatoes are a better choice.
Step 2
Most of the recipes for tomato sauce that follow call for tomatoes that have been peeled and seeded. To do this, plunge cored tomatoes into boiling water until their skins are loose, anywhere from 15 seconds to a minute. Lift the tomatoes out of the hot water and plunge them into a bowl of ice-cold water to stop the cooking. Drain and peel. Cut the tomatoes in half horizontally and coax the seeds out into a bowl. Strain the seeds and save the juice.
Step 3
To cook 1 pound of pasta, which will make 6 servings or 4 generous servings, bring at least 4 quarts well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta at a rapid boil until tender. When done, drain it, reserving a small amount (about 1/2 cup) of the cooking water. Toss the pasta with 2 cups warm tomato sauce. Add a touch of the cooking water if the noodles seem to be sticking together or the sauce is too thick. Taste and add salt if needed. Plate the pasta and garnish with grated cheese and chopped herbs, if desired. Another way to serve the pasta is to toss the noodles with olive oil and grated cheese, plate them, and then spoon the sauce over the noodles.
