Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking - Marcella Hazan [77]
Tomato Sauce with Garlic and Basil
THIS IS ONE of many versions of the sauce Romans call alla carrettiera. The carrettieri were the drivers of the mule- or even hand-driven carts in which wine and produce were brought down to Rome from its surrounding hills, and the sauces for their pasta were improvised from the least expensive, most abundant, ingredients available to them.
For 4 servings
1 large bunch fresh basil
2 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes, prepared as described, OR 2 cups canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, drained and cut up
5 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped fine
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
1 pound pasta
Note Do not be alarmed by the amount of garlic this recipe requires. Because it simmers in the sauce, it is poached, rather than browned, and its flavor is very subdued.
Recommended pasta The ideal shape for tomato alla carrettiera is thin spaghetti—spaghettini—but regular spaghetti would also be satisfactory.
1. Pull all the basil leaves from the stalks, rinse them briefly in cold water, and shake off all the moisture using a colander, a salad spinner, or simply by gathering the basil loosely in a dry cloth towel and shaking it two or three times. Tear all but the tiniest leaves by hand into small pieces.
2. Put the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, and several grindings of pepper into a saucepan, and turn on the heat to medium high. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the oil floats free from the tomato. Taste and correct for salt.
3. Off heat, as soon as the sauce is done, mix in the torn-up basil, keeping aside a few pieces to add when tossing the pasta.
Amatriciana—Tomato Sauce
with Pancetta and Chili Pepper
THE ROMAN TOWN of Amatrice, with which this sauce is identified, offers a public feast in August whose principal attraction is undoubtedly the celebrated bucatini—thick, hollow spaghetti—all’Amatriciana. No visitor should pass up, however, the pear-shaped salamis called mortadelle, the pecorino—ewe’s milk cheese—or the ricotta, also made from ewe’s milk. They are among the best products of their kind in Italy.
When making Amatriciana sauce, some cooks add white wine before putting in the tomatoes; I find the result too acidic, but you may want to try it.
For 4 servings
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion chopped fine
A ¼-inch-thick slice of pancetta, cut into strips ½ inch wide and 1 inch long
1½ cups canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, drained and cut up
Chopped hot red chili pepper, to taste
Salt
3 tablespoons freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons freshly grated romano cheese
1 pound pasta
Recommended pasta It’s impossible to say “all’amatriciana” without thinking “bucatini” The two are as indivisible as Romeo and Juliet. But other couplings of the sauce, such as with penne or rigatoni or conchiglie, can be nearly as successful.
1. Put the oil, butter, and onion in a saucepan and turn on the heat to medium. Sauté the onion until it becomes colored a pale gold, then add the pancetta. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring once or twice. Add the tomatoes, the chili pepper, and salt, and cook in the uncovered pan at a steady, gentle simmer for 25 minutes. Taste and correct for salt and hot pepper.
2. Toss the pasta with the sauce, then add both cheeses, and toss thoroughly again.
Tomato Sauce with Porcini Mushrooms
For 4 servings
2 tablespoons shallot OR onion chopped fine
2½ tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons pancetta, prosciutto, OR unsmoked ham, cut into ¼-inch-wide strips
1½ cups fresh, ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped, OR canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juice
A small packet OR 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, reconstituted
Filtered water from the mushroom soak
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
1 pound pasta
Freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese for the table
Recommended pasta Conchiglie, penne, ridged ziti, or a substantial fresh pasta such as tonnarelli