Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce
A rich, slow-simmered tomato sauce tossed with spaghetti and finished with a splash of starchy cooking water so every strand is glossy and coated.
- Total
- 45 min
- Prep 10 · Cook 35
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Sweating · Simmering
- Savory
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Finely chop the oignon and mince the ail. Core the tomates and cut them into 2 cm chunks.
~8 min
-
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oignon and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ail and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
~5 min
Sweating the onion in oil softens it without browning, building a sweet base; adding garlic late prevents it from burning and turning bitter.
Sweating Cook onions over medium heat until translucent and soft, not browned; if they start to color, lower the heat.
-
Add the tomates, 1 tsp of the salt and the black pepper, then simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes collapse into a thick sauce, about 25 minutes.
~25 min
Simmering uncovered lets water evaporate, concentrating the tomatoes into a thick sauce that will cling to the pasta.
Simmering Maintain a gentle bubble, not a rolling boil, and stir occasionally to prevent sticking and promote even reduction.
-
While step 3 cooks
While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes. Reserve 250 ml of the starchy cooking water, then drain the pasta.
~9 min
Cooking pasta to al dente keeps it firm so it finishes in the sauce without turning mushy; starchy water helps emulsify the sauce.
-
Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet with 150 ml of the reserved starchy cooking water. Toss over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce turns glossy and clings to every strand, adding the remaining 100 ml water if it looks dry.
~2 min
Tossing the pasta with starchy water and sauce over heat emulsifies the fat and starch, creating a glossy coating that clings to every strand.
The starchy cooking water is what makes the sauce cling: add it gradually and keep tossing until the pan looks glossy rather than watery.