Linguine with Tomato Sugo
This is one of my all-time-favorite pasta dishes and it’s ridiculously simple to make. You can use spaghetti or any ribbon pasta, but for some reason, I’m partial to linguine. Of course, the quality of the sugo is totally dependent on the quality of the tomatoes. The tastier and riper the tomatoes, the better the sauce. That being said, when I need a tomato fix in winter, I buy Roma tomatoes when they look good and let them ripen for a few days. Then I make this dish and dream about summer and my vegetable garden.
Peel tomatoes: With a sharp paring knife, cut out the core of each tomato and cut a small “x” in the bottom end. Then immerse tomatoes in boiling water for about 30 to 60 seconds. Drain water and let tomatoes cool for a minute or so. Peel tomatoes. (Skin should slip off easily.)
Using your fingers or a knife, tear or cut tomatoes in half horizontally and then, with your fingers, remove seeds and excess juices. It doesn’t matter if some seeds remain. Then chop tomatoes in small pieces with a knife and place in a strainer over a bowl to drain excess juices.
In a medium-size sauté pan, heat olive oil. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant; do not brown. Add tomatoes and cook over medium-high heat for a few minutes; tomatoes should be bubbling. Then reduce heat, season with salt and pepper to taste and continue to cook for about 20 minutes or so, stirring from time to time. Mixture should be simmering gently. Stir in basil, cook for another minute, then cover and turn off heat. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water and cook until tender but firm. Drain well. (If there’s too much water on the pasta, it will dilute the tomato sauce, which you don’t want). Place pasta in a large pasta bowl. Add tomato sauce and toss to coat well. Then add a handful of grated Parmigiano Reggiano and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately and pass around remaining cheese and a pepper grinder.
Photography by Carol White
Carol White
Carol White is a Napa Valley-based food writer and editor who has passionately devoted herself to the study of food and cooking. She was previously based in Toronto, where she worked as a food editor for one of Canada’s most popular magazines, Canadian Living, and edited a weekly food column for Canada’s largest newspaper, The Toronto Star. Carol is also the editor of the highly successful President’s Choice Cookbook and President’s Choice Barbecue Cookbook. Over the years, Carol has evolved a style of cooking that friends call “Cuisine Carolaise.” While not French, per se, Cuisine Carolaise can be described as rustic, clean, rich in flavor and based on the freshest, best-quality ingredients available.