Pasta In Tomato Sauce

This pasta in tomato sauce or pasta pomodoro is a very humble recipe that uses the simplest of ingredients to deliver something comforting in no time and with little effort. To make things even more effortless, at least while tomatoes remain in season, I am launching my very first MMHMM product. The Mmhmm Tomato Sauce is a careful blend of fresh local tomatoes, garlic, bayleaf and olive oil. The no frills approach to this tomato sauce makes it very versatile as it can be used as a base for sauces, curries, stews and soups.

So if you’re in Trinidad, head over to dmarketmovers.com to purchase your Mmhmm Tomato Sauce. If you try it, be sure to hit me up on Twitter & Instagram and share your feedback!

Pasta In Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 pack penne pasta (or any pasta you prefer)
• 6 tomatoes quartered
• 4 cloves garlic chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 10 cups water
• salt & black pepper to taste

Pasta Cooking Directions

1. Bring water to a rolling boil then season with a pinch of salt
2. Add pasta then stir to loosen
3. Cook pasta for 8 to 10 minutes then drain and run under room temperature to stop the cooking process
4. Add tomato sauce to a pan with olive oil and bring to a simmer
5. Toss pasta in tomato sauce
6. Garnish with fresh basil (optional)

Tomato Sauce Directions

1. Bring olive oil up to temperature in a pot
2. Add garlic then sauté for 1 minute
3. Add tomatoes and bay leaf then reduce to medium/ low heat and allow to cook for 30 minutes
4. Remove bay leaf then use an immersion blender or regular blender to blend tomato mixture into a paste
5. Strain through a sieve to remove tomato skins for a smooth, velvety sauce
6. Season with salt & black pepper