Pasta Alla Carretiera

Pasta alla carrettiera (pasta of the cart drivers) is one of those classic peasant Italian dishes that needs nothing more than ripe tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, olive oil, and a little crushed red pepper. The sauce is uncooked: tomatoes peeled and chopped, the rest pounded together in a mortar to a rough paste, then everything stirred together and left to mingle for a few hours before hitting hot drained spaghetti.

That rest matters. The salt draws out tomato juice, the basil bruises and releases its oils, and the garlic mellows just enough so it doesn’t punch you in the face. By the time the pasta is ready, the sauce has turned into something fragrant and almost broth-like at the bottom of the bowl.

Make this in August when tomatoes are at their peak. Out-of-season tomatoes turn the dish into a sad, watery imitation.

Pro Tips

• Use the ripest, juiciest tomatoes you can find. This sauce is 90% tomato by character; mediocre fruit makes a mediocre dish.
• Don’t skip peeling. The skins curl up into tough, chewy flecks once the hot pasta hits them, and they ruin the texture.
• Pound the aromatics in a mortar if you have one. The bruised, slightly-broken-down basil is dramatically better than chopped.
• Toss the pasta hot but slightly drained, not bone dry. A little water helps the cold sauce loosen and coat the strands.

Variations

• Add a handful of olives or capers for a more aggressive, briny version closer to puttanesca.
• Toss in cubed fresh mozzarella or a handful of arugula at the end for a heartier salad-style plate.
• Use bucatini or thick spaghetti for more sauce-grabbing surface area.