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Basil Tomato Pasta

Source of Recipe

From "Cook With Me" by Alex Guarnaschelli


Recipe Introduction

"I have always enjoyed finding that errant basil leaf in the tomato sauce as I eat a bowl of pasta. Chewing the leaf and having the basil release its floral, grassy notes to the bright tomato and garlic flavors in the sauce? Sublime. Even more sublime? Making a pesto *and* a tomato sauce and adding both to a bowl of pasta, but not fully mixing the sauces together. You keep eating, enjoying the inconsistencies. This creates a great side effect: a varied taste that makes the dish different with every bite so one skews more tomato and the next more basil—it's totally addictive. We are looking for a chunky sauce here, with texture and sweetness from the tomatoes and carrots (they're shredded so they just melt right into the sauce) and from the basil leaves, too. For a chunky sauce like this one, I like a toothy, chewy pasta. My favorites for this recipe are bucatini and perciatelli, tossed al dente in the hot sauce and sprinkled with Parmesan, or with aged provolone for a sharper twist."

List of Ingredients

Tomato sauce:
â—¦ 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
â—¦ 2 small yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
â—¦ 2 medium carrots, grated on the large holes of a box grater
â—¦ 5 large cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
â—¦ Kosher salt
â—¦ 2 teaspoons sugar
â—¦ 1 (28-ounce) can peeled whole tomatoes, with their juices

Pesto:
â—¦ 2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
â—¦ 1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
â—¦ 1 teaspoon sugar
â—¦ ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
â—¦ 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Pasta:
â—¦ Kosher salt
â—¦ 1 pound bucatini or perciatelli pasta
â—¦ 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
â—¦ ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese



Recipe

Make the tomato sauce: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil until it slides from the center to the edges of the skillet, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onions, carrots, garlic, red pepper flakes, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the sugar and the tomatoes and all their liquids. Use a wooden spoon to break up some of the whole tomatoes and cook, stirring from time to time, until the sauce is cooked and the tomatoes meld with the vegetables, 15 to 18 minutes. Add about 1 cup of water and continue cooking until the sauce is chunky and flavorful, another 5 to 8 minutes. Turn off the heat, taste for seasoning, and cover to keep warm.

Make the pesto: Set aside a few basil leaves for topping the pasta. Into a blender, put the remaining basil, the spinach, the sugar, and the olive oil. Add ¼ cup of cold water and the salt. Pulse until the pesto comes together but is not completely smooth. Taste for seasoning and set aside.

Cook the pasta: Fill a large pot with 4 quarts of water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Add ¼ cup of salt and bring the water back to a boil. Taste the water. It should be salty like seawater. Add the pasta and cook, stirring it with a large slotted spoon to ensure that it does not clump or stick to the pot, until it is al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about ½ cup of the cooking water.

Finish the dish: In a large shallow bowl, toss together the pasta, red wine vinegar, and tomato sauce. Add some of the reserved pasta water if the tomato sauce needs some loosening. Dot the pasta with spoonfuls of the pesto and gently, only partially, swirl it in. Sprinkle with the cheese. Top with the reserved basil leaves and serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6