Orecchiette al Pomodoro

Small ear-shaped pasta cups holding a thick, fragrant tomato sauce. The sheen of extra virgin olive oil and the vibrant green of fresh basil promise a bold and balanced dish.

• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 35 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 636
• Protein: 22 g
• Carbs: 87 g
• Fat: 23 g

Ingredients

• 400 g Orecchiette ( dry pasta )
• 800 g Round tomato ( finely diced )
• 2 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 1 piece Yellow onion ( finely chopped )
• 4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil ( first press )
• 10 g Basil ( fresh leaves torn )
• 50 g Parmesan cheese ( freshly grated )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt ( for cooking water )
• 1 pinch Hot chili pepper optional ( to taste )
• 40 g Pecorino Romano ( grated )

Instructions

1. Aromatic base

   Finely chop the onion and garlic. In a sauté pan, sweat them with olive oil and a pinch of chili flakes. The garlic should be translucent and the onion tender, without any browning.

2. Cooking the sauce

   Add the diced tomatoes. Let them simmer over medium heat. The sauce is ready when the vegetation water has evaporated and it generously coats the back of a spoon.

3. Cooking the orecchiette

   Plunge the pasta into a large amount of boiling salted water. Cook until al dente: they should offer a slight resistance to the bite without being hard in the center.

4. Final binding

   Drain the pasta, reserving a ladleful of cooking water. Sauté the orecchiette in the sauce with the reserved water, parmesan, and pecorino romano. Stir vigorously to create a glossy emulsion that coats every piece of pasta.

Chef's tips

• Always keep some cooking water; the starch is what creates the bond between the pasta and the sauce.
• Never rinse your pasta with cold water; you would lose the starch needed for the sauce.

Storage

The sauce keeps for 3 days in the fridge. Once mixed, the pasta loses its al dente texture quickly.