Naked Tomato Sauce

When Smitten Kitchen posted this recipe a couple of months ago, I had just snagged a case of tomatoes from the farmers market and was looking for a way to dress up some pasta. Deb makes a case for shocking the tomatoes to skin them, but I roasted them and they came out beautifully. I leave it up to you, but DO NOT mess with the infused olive oil- it will change your life. It takes me right to Mr. Smith's favorite tomato pie joint in PA. Although the recipe looks a bit long, it is fairly easy, but a bit time consuming. Perfect for a weekend, but probably a bit much for a week night. Enjoy!

Naked Tomato Sauce
Adapted From: Smitten Kitchen

3 pound plum tomatoes
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Small handful basil leaves, most left whole, a few slivered for garnish
1/4 cup olive oil
one box dried spaghetti
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Slice the tomatoes in half and place them cut side up in a roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes until they are a bit wrinkled looking. Remove from oven and let them cool until you are able to work with them.

When they are cool enough, peel the skins off the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds with your fingertips into a small strainer set over a bowl. Ditch the seeds, reserve the juices. Crush the remaining tomato flesh with your hands and add them with the salt to a large saucepan (you’ll be adding the pasta to this later, so err on the big side) and turn the heat to medium-high.

Once the sauce has begun to boil, turn your heat down to medium-low and gently simmer your tomatoes for 35 to 45 minutes, mashing them more if needed. If they begin to look a little dry, add your strained and reserved tomato juices.

While the tomato sauce cooks, combine garlic, a few whole basil leaves, a pinch of red pepper flakes and 1/4 cup olive oil in a small saucepan. Heat them slowly, over the lowest heat so that they take a long time to come to a simmer. Once it does, immediately remove it from the heat and strain the oil into a small dish.

When the tomato sauce has been simmering for about 25 minutes, pasta water to a boil with a healthy helping of salt. Once boiling rapidly, cook your spaghetti until it is al dente, i.e. it could use another minute of cooking time. Reserve a half-cup of pasta cooking water and drain the rest.

Once your sauce is cooked to the consistency you like, stir in the reserved olive oil and adjust seasonings to taste. Add drained spaghetti and half the reserved pasta water to the simmering tomato sauce and cook them together for another minute or two. Add remaining pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Stir in the butter, if using, and serve immediately with slivered basil for garnish.