Pummarola – A Traditional Italian Recipe

Tomato and basil sauce

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1.5 kg of fresh very mature tomatoes (or 1 can crushed tomatoes)
• 3 gloves of garlic
• fresh chili (optional)
• bunch of fresh basil (only if NOT using chili)
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Procedure

Crush the garlic with the back of a knife. In a saucepan heat 8 tbs of oil, add the garlic (and chili if desired), basil (if NOT using chili), and heat for 2 minutes. Then add the tomatoes, a pinch of salt and pepper and let simmer for 10 minutes for canned tomatoes. If using fresh tomatoes, wash and cut them into small pieces, add them to the oil and let them reduce. You then need to pass them
through a food mill, until there is nothing remaining but the skins.

Put the sauce back on the stove and simmer until you obtain a thick consistency. When adding to pasta (fresh or dry), bring a large saucepan of water to boil and then add a handful of rock salt. Once the water has reached a ‘rolling boil’ again you can now add the pasta. When cooked ‘al dente’ (this is important as the pasta will continue to cook with the sauce, if the packet says to cook for 8 minutes then remove 2 minutes before for spaghetti) take out of the water with a large strainer then add to the sauce. Sautè together over a medium flame for 2 minutes then serve. Add grated parmesan, a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil and also fresh basil leaves to garnish (or parsley if chili has been used).

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Tomato and basil sauce Ingredients (serves 4) • 1.5 kg of fresh very mature tomatoes (or 1 can crushed tomatoes) • 3 gloves of garlic • fresh chili (optional) • bunch of fresh basil (only if NOT using chili) • olive oil • salt and pepper Procedure Crush the garlic…

Tomato and basil sauce Ingredients (serves 4) • 1.5 kg of fresh very mature tomatoes (or 1 can crushed tomatoes) • 3 gloves of garlic • fresh chili (optional) • bunch of fresh basil (only if NOT using chili) • olive oil • salt and pepper Procedure Crush the garlic…