Why this year’s Olympic ring-shaped pasta is so unique

Ingredients

• 5.5 kg Ripe Tomatoes (peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped)
• 4 Shallots (finely diced)
• 1 cup Fresh Basil Leaves (torn, loosely packed)
• 200 g Parmesan Cheese (freshly grated)
• 100 ml Extra‑Virgin Olive Oil (for sautéing)
• to taste Salt (preferably kosher or sea salt)
• 1 kg Dried Pasta (Spaghetti or Tagliatelle) (choose a high‑quality durum wheat pasta)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Tomatoes

   Bring a large pot of water to a boil, blanch the tomatoes for 30 seconds, transfer to ice water, peel, core and coarsely chop.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: 100°C

2. Sauté Shallots

   Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced shallots and sauté until translucent, about 4‑5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 180°C

3. Reduce the Tomato Sauce

   Add the chopped tomatoes to the saucepan, bring to a gentle simmer, and reduce for 2 hours 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the volume shrinks to roughly 100 ml and the sauce is thick and creamy.

   Time: PT2H30M

   Temperature: 90°C

4. Finish the Sauce

   Stir in the torn basil leaves, season with salt to taste, and remove from heat.

   Time: PT5M

5. Cook the Pasta

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook al dente according to package directions, usually 8‑10 minutes.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 100°C

6. Combine Pasta and Sauce

   Drain the pasta, return it to the pot, add the reduced tomato‑basil sauce, and toss together. If needed, thin the sauce with reserved pasta water.

   Time: PT5M

7. Add Parmesan

   Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted and fully incorporated, creating a glossy finish.

   Time: PT2M

8. Serve

   Plate the pasta, drizzle with a little extra olive oil if desired, and top with additional grated Parmesan.

   Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

500

Protein

15 g

Carbohydrates

70 g

Fat

12 g

Fiber

4 g