Garlic Tomato Spaghetti
Spaghetti tossed in a garlicky tomato sauce, finished with starchy pasta water so every strand is glossy and coated. A simple, kid-friendly dinner with no onions.
- Total
- 35 min
- Prep 10 · Cook 25
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Simmering · Emulsifying
- Savory
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Bring 2 l water to a boil in the large pot over high heat. Meanwhile, peel and thinly slice the 4 garlic cloves. Roughly chop the 400 g tomatoes into 2 cm pieces.
~8 min
Salting the water seasons the pasta from within as it absorbs liquid, so the strands are flavorful, not just the sauce.
-
Add 1 tsp salt and the 250 g pasta to the boiling water. Cook until al dente, 9 to 11 minutes. Before draining, scoop out and reserve 250 ml of the starchy cooking water. Drain the pasta in the colander.
~11 min
Reserving starchy cooking water is key: its starch helps the sauce emulsify and cling glossily to the pasta.
-
While step 2 cooks
While the pasta cooks, warm 3 tbsp olive oil in the skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook gently until fragrant and pale gold, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not let it brown or it turns bitter.
~3 min
Gentle heat coaxes garlic's sweetness without burning; once browned, garlic turns bitter and can ruin the sauce.
Gently blooming the garlic in warm, not hot, oil draws out its sweetness; the moment it turns pale gold, add the tomatoes to stop it cooking further.
-
Add the chopped tomatoes to the skillet with the garlic. Season with 0.25 tsp black pepper and a pinch of salt. Simmer over medium heat, stirring, until the tomatoes collapse into a thick sauce, 8 to 10 minutes.
~10 min
Simmering collapses the tomatoes and evaporates water, concentrating flavor into a thick sauce that coats pasta.
Simmering Keep the sauce at a gentle bubble, stirring often, until the tomatoes break down and the liquid thickens; a hard boil can scorch.
-
Add the drained pasta and 150 ml of the reserved starchy water to the skillet. Toss over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce turns glossy and clings to every strand. Add the remaining starchy water a splash at a time if it looks dry.
~2 min
Tossing pasta in the sauce with starchy water emulsifies the fat and starch, making the sauce glossy and clingy.
Emulsifying Add starchy water gradually while tossing over medium heat; the sauce should turn glossy and coat each strand, not separate.
-
Taste and adjust the salt. Divide between 3 bowls and serve right away.
~1 min