Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce
CATEGORIES
INGREDIENTS
  • Servings: 4-6
  • 1 lb thin pasta (angel hair or spaghettini)
  • 3 large fully ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2-3 t sea salt
  • 1 1/2 c basil leaves
  • Freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
  1. Bring at least 6 quarts of water to a boil, adding 2 T salt once it reaches a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook for 5-7 minutes or until barely done.
  2. The sauce can be made in the time the water is coming to the boil. Place olive oil and tomatoes into a large bowl and toss to distribute the oil. Chop the garlic and mix it with the salt. Using a mortar and pestle, grind the garlic to a paste, or, on the cutting board, use the side of a chef's knife to mash the garlic, dragging the knife back and forth. Add the garlic and salt to the tomatoes. Either tear the basil into small pieces or roll the leaves and cut across to into thin slices; mix with the tomatoes. Grind pepper to taste and add salt if needed.
  3. Drain the pasta, add to the bowl of sauce, toss well, and serve immediately. We make this more than any other pasta in the summer and frequently serve it to friends who usually take the recipe home and make it their own. Note that this is one of the rare tomato pasta sauces where no cheese should be used.