Tomato Sauce with Garlic
A pantry pasta with garlic, anchovies, and canned tomatoes.
When buying canned tomatoes, always check the ingredients. Some brands add citric acid (or worse, calcium chloride). It keeps the tomatoes shelf-stable, but also annoyingly firm. Skip those. You’ll be rewarded.
Anchovies are not mandatory, but they should be. They vanish into the sauce, leaving behind a delicious je ne sais quoi.
Olive oil 8 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
3 or 4 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
2 whole dry cayenne pepper, crushed
1 can whole peeled tomatoes (480 grams)
Salt
Basil, if available
160 grams of pasta of your choice
Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
In a pan, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and let it soften. Stir in the anchovies and let them dissolve.
Pour in the tomatoes and their juice. Crush them with a wooden spoon, or break them up by hand beforehand. Season with salt and cayenne.
Let the sauce simmer gently for about 15 minutes, so the flavors come together. Add basil if you have any. Stir occasionally.
Meanwhile, cook your pasta in well-salted water. When it’s just shy of al dente, please follow the instructions on the package, transfer it straight into the sauce. Toss and cook for another minute or two.
Serve immediately, with Parmigiano if you like.
