Twins Take On… Mama’s Spaghetti Al Pomodoro

The Alberti Twins | 29th March 2016

‘Everyone is Italian on Sundays’ 

Ingredients

Serves 4

For the Pasta:

  • 400g Spaghetti or Bucatini
  • 50g Butter

For the sauce:

  • 8 Basil leaves finely chopped
  • 60g Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano
  • 5 Garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 2 x 400g Passata
  • 60g Tomato Puree
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 6 Sage leaves finely chopped
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method

Now this is our go to recipe when we want something very tasty, quick, easy and is a favourite in our house for Spaghetti Sundays.

It’s a great dish, packed with big flavours that the whole family will love. Making home-made pasta sauce, in fact, is really easy and you can prepare it in no time at all.

Put a pan of salted water on to boil for the pasta, remember salty as the Mediterranean Sea everyone 😉 While that’s happening, add the oil and garlic to a large skillet pan and swirl the pan to coat the garlic with oil and put on a medium heat until the garlic sizzles to golden but doesn’t brown, be sure not to burn the garlic as it will make the sauce bitter. Then add the passata and the chopped basil and sage. The secret ingredient in this recipe is the sage, we found out this little secret while in Italy and it really does make a difference, it makes it very warming and moreish and adds depth to the sauce. Add the tomato puree, salt, pepper and stir. Simmer for about 20 minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens.

In the meantime, the water in the pan should be simmering away, so add the Spaghetti or Bucatini and cook according to the packet instructions until “al dente”.

Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Drain the pasta in a colander and quickly add in the butter and mix with the spaghetti before adding the spaghetti into the skillet with the sauce. Mix together for a further minute or two to let the sauce be absorbed into the pasta and mix well.

ALWAYS… mix the pasta with the sauce and never, ever, just put the sauce on top of the pasta as it won’t combine and coat the pasta as well and is not the Italian way. Please don’t do this, it upsets us very much lol 😉

Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano and serve immediately. Buon Appetito x

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