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Pasta with Toss-Your-Garlic Tomato Sauce

Pasta with Toss-Your-Garlic Tomato Sauce

  • Makes
    4-6 servings
  • Cook Time
    35 minutes

Throw away your garlic! This four-ingredient, 15-minute tomato sauce mirrors the technique used by the many Italian cooks with whom we’ve spent time in the kitchen. They use garlic to season the sauce, but toss it out before eating. Trust us on this one. The sauce pairs with just about any pasta shape, but keep in mind that long shapes like spaghetti, bucatini and linguine are easier to toss than chunky shapes like rigatoni.

Ingredients

  • Kosher salt

  • 1

    pound pasta (see headnote)

  • 4

    tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

  • 3 - 5

    medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

  • 28

    ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, juices drained and reserved, tomatoes crushed by hand

  • A handful of fresh basil, torn (optional)

  • Finely grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Step 1

In a large pot, boil 4 quarts water. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta, then cook, stirring, until just shy of al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water, then drain. Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, combine 3 tablespoons oil and the garlic. Cook, stirring, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and discard the cloves or reserve for another use.

Step 2

Add the tomato juices to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until thick enough that a spatula drawn through the mixture leaves a trail, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.

Step 3

Add the pasta, ¼ cup cooking water and the basil (if using). Cook over medium, tossing, until al dente and the sauce clings, about 3 minutes; add more water as needed if dry. Off heat, taste and season with salt. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan.

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