Ruth Rogers’ Favorite Tomato Sauce

Ruth Rogers’ Favorite Tomato Sauce
Adapted from Marcella’s Italian Kitchen by Marcella Hazan (Knopf, 1986), via Ruth Rogers in The Guardian (January 29, 2006)

Serves 2 to 4 (for ½ to 1 pound of pasta)

Marcella Hazan writes in Marcella’s Italian Kitchen that “the special taste of this simple tomato sauce depends largely on how the garlic is handled. It should be sliced very thinly, sautéed only until it turns a pale gold, and then allowed to simmer slowly in the tomatoes so it can release all its sweetness. Raw basil at the end contributes a fragrant fillip—be sure the basil isn’t cooked.” The sauce can be made several hours in advance. Reheat gently, then add the basil just before serving. Marcella suggests spaghetti, spaghettini, fusilli, penne, rigatoni, or ziti.

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and sliced very thinly
400 g (14 ounces) tinned Italian peeled plum tomatoes, cut into large pieces, with their juice (if possible, use tomatoes from Italy)
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, freshly ground
10 fresh basil leaves, torn by hand into small pieces
(I don’t use any grated cheese with this sauce, but of course you can.)

Put the oil and garlic in a saucepan and set over medium heat. When the garlic turns a pale gold, reduce the heat to very low and add the tomatoes. Cook, uncovered, until the oil floats free of the tomatoes, about 20 minutes. Add salt and a few grindings of pepper, then cook for another two to three minutes, stirring from time to time. Off the heat, stir in the torn basil leaves. Serve with your choice of pasta.

Note: Ruth Rogers, chef and co-founder of London’s River Café, chose this as her favorite recipe in The Guardian’s “Top Foodies Choose Their Favorite Recipes of All Time,” saying it’s the dish she often makes when guests come for dinner. Her version, adapted from Marcella Hazan, calls for a slightly different proportion of ingredients; I’ve adjusted again here to suit my taste. She hosts an engaging podcast, Ruthie’s Table 4.

 

Italian Tomatoes from Gustiamo