Authentic Italian Tomato Red Sauce Pasta

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg Tomatoes (ripe, scored, blanched, skin removed, hand‑crushed)
• 4 cloves Garlic (thinly sliced)
• 3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (good quality)
• 0.5 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (adjust to taste)
• 1 teaspoon Salt (for sauce seasoning)
• 400 g Penne Pasta (dry, short tube shape)
• 8 leaves Fresh Basil Leaves (torn, added at the end)
• 1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter (cold, cut into small pieces)
• to taste Black Pepper (freshly cracked)
• 50 g Parmigiano-Reggiano (freshly grated, for topping)

Instructions

1. Score and blanch tomatoes

   Make a shallow "X" cut on the bottom of each tomato, then drop them into boiling water for 30‑60 seconds before transferring to an ice‑water bath to shock the skins.

   Time: PT1M

2. Peel and crush tomatoes

   Remove the skins by hand, place the tomatoes in a bowl and gently crush them with your fingers.

   Time: PT2M

3. Slice garlic

   Thinly slice the garlic cloves using a chef's knife.

   Time: PT2M

4. Sauté garlic in olive oil

   Heat 3 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the sliced garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 2‑3 minutes).

   Time: PT3M

5. Build the sauce

   Stir in ½ tsp red pepper flakes, then add the hand‑crushed tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15‑20 minutes until the sauce thickens and the oil separates.

   Time: PT18M

6. Boil water for pasta

   Fill a large pot with water, bring to a rolling boil, and season generously with salt (it should taste like seawater).

   Time: PT5M

7. Cook penne al dente

   Add 400 g penne to the boiling water and cook for 8‑8½ minutes (or according to package directions for al dente).

   Time: PT9M

8. Combine pasta with sauce

   Reserve about ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the penne. Transfer the pasta directly into the skillet with the sauce, add the reserved water, and toss over medium‑high heat for 1‑2 minutes.

   Time: PT2M

9. Finish with butter, basil, pepper and cheese

   Turn off the heat, add 8 torn fresh basil leaves, 1 Tbsp cold butter, a generous grind of black pepper, and 50 g grated Parmigiano‑Reggiano. Toss quickly to create a glossy emulsion.

   Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

500

Protein

20 g

Carbohydrates

70 g

Fat

15 g

Fiber

5 g