Spaghitti Vesuvius I.E.S.Jjgf65A
Submitted by CarmenHealy
Roma tomatoes slow-roasted for three hours with olive oil, garlic, and hot chili until jammy and concentrated, then tossed with spaghetti, parsley, and basil. Named for the volcano and just as fiery.
Named after the famous volcano looming over Naples, this pasta has heat, intensity, and soul. Peeled Roma tomatoes are halved, nestled into a pan of olive oil with garlic, onion, and hot chili, then slow-roasted in the oven for three hours until they collapse into something jammy, sweet, and deeply concentrated.
Fresh parsley and basil go in near the end, wilting into the pan juices and filling the kitchen with a smell that’ll have everyone asking when dinner is ready.
This is not a quick weeknight sauce. This is a Saturday afternoon project. The kind of cooking where the oven does the work and patience is the secret ingredient. The result is a tomato sauce with more flavor than anything that comes from a jar.
Kitchen Tips
- Keep the tomatoes whole-ish: Halve them, but don’t dice. The slow roasting concentrates their flavor while they hold their shape, then they break apart naturally when tossed with the pasta.
- Low oven, long time: The slow roast is the whole point. The tomatoes caramelize gently, their juices reduce, and the sugars concentrate. Rushing this defeats the purpose.
- Baste during the last 30 minutes: When you add the herbs, spoon the pan juices over the tomatoes a few times. This glazes them and distributes the herb flavor.
- Good olive oil matters: With this few ingredients, every one counts. Use an extra-virgin olive oil you’d be happy to drizzle on bread.
Ingredients
Directions
LEFT WHOLE STEMS REMOVED PUT THE OLIVE OIL, GARLIC, ONION, AND HOT PEPPER IN A LARGE SAUTE PAN.
COOK UNTIL THE ONION IS COMPLETELY SOFTENED BUT NOT BROWNED.
CUT THE TOMATOES IN HALF FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.
DO NOT REMOVE THE SEEDS OR JUICE.
PUT IN THE PAN, CU SIDE UP, AND COOK OVER MEDIUM LOW HEAT FIVE MINUTES.
SPRINKLE WITH SALT AND PINCH OF SUGAR.
CAREFULLY, SO AS NOT TO BREAK THE TOMATOES, TURN THEM OVER.
PLACE IN A 225 DEGREE OVEN FOR 2½ HOURS.
SPRINKLE THE TOMATOES WITH PARSLEY AND BASIL AND CONTINUE TO COOK 30 MINUTES, BASTING WITH PAN JUICES FROM TIME TO TIME.
COOK THE SPAGHETTI IN 5 QUARTS OF BOILING SALTED WATER UNTIL AL DENTE.
DRAIN AND PUT INTO A PASTA DISH.
POUR THE TOMATOES OVER. TOSS TOGETHER BEFORE SERVING.
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