An Italian chef has revealed the ‘best’ pasta dish you’ll ever eat that’s also loved by Italians themselves – and you’ll only need a handful of ingredients and less than half an hour of your time. Chef Francesco Mattana has a long history working in restaurants in London and across Australia, as well as working as the Head Teaching Chef at Jamie Oliver’s Cookery School.
In a recent TikTok video, Francesco revealed that spaghetti al Pomodoro is his favourite pasta dish ever. Francesco’s recipe for creating this perfect midweek dish only needs a handful of ingredients, some of which you probably already have in your kitchen cupboards. In fact, this recipe is so good, Francesco has dubbed this the “best tomato sauce I have ever eaten”. If that doesn’t seal the deal, what will?
Francesco wrote in the video’s caption: “You guys have been loving this recipe as much as I do, literally millions of you.
“It’s the one and only Spaghetti al Pomodoro and I can confirm it’s no longer just my favourite pasta recipe, it’s yours too.
“This recipe is all about using the best quality ingredients you can find. You need to buy the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can find and the best bronze drawn dry pasta too.
“Cooking the garlic this way makes it sweet and creamy without being too harsh, and really takes this dish to the next level.
“And for the tomatoes, this is of course a summer dish and they are in season so let’s make the most of them! I have used a mixed of cherry tomatoes and baby plum here.”
The only fresh ingredients you’ll need are a mix of juicy cherry and baby plum tomatoes, a healthy amount of garlic cloves, fresh basil, and a generous amount of Grana Padano cheese.
Francesco revealed spaghetti al Pomodoro is his favourite pasta dish because it’s “easy, simple, delicious”.
Once the pasta is nearly ready to serve, add a splash of reserved pasta water, some more olive oil, more basil, and lashings of cheese.
Francesco added: “Wow… I can confirm it’s my favourite.”
His video has already been viewed over a massive 2.4million times, receiving 175,200 likes and 1,230 comments.
One person wrote: “PLEASE convince me Italian food isn’t just tomatoes and pasta with a hard cheese.”
Siggy said: “A simple, but great traditional pasta. Hits the spot every time.”
Another said: “Garlic, tomatoes and basil the perfect combination.” Joy added: “I know what I’m making this weekend.”
So if you’re looking to make a pasta dish with the “best” tomato sauce, this is what you’ll need.
Ingredients
- 200g spaghetti
- 300g mixed cherry and baby plum tomatoes
- Three garlic cloves
- Fresh basil leaves
- Olive oil
- Grana Padano cheese
Method
To make the sauce, start by washing the tomatoes and cutting them in half. Peel and slightly crush the garlic cloves. Tear the basil leaves by hand to release their aroma.
In a large skillet, heat about two to three tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic cloves and cook for about a minute. Ensure the garlic infuses the oil but doesn’t burn.
Add the halved tomatoes to the skillet and season with a good pinch of salt. Stir in the torn basil leaves, allowing their fragrance to blend with the tomatoes.
Add a splash of water to help the tomatoes soften. Now cover the skillet and let the sauce simmer for five to ten minutes, or until the tomatoes have broken down into a chunky sauce. Stir occasionally.
While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta water before draining the spaghetti.
When the pasta is almost ready, take the garlic cloves out of the sauce, place them on your chopping board, crush them to get a nice garlic puree, and place it back inside the sauce.
Once the spaghetti is cooked, add it directly to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Toss the spaghetti in the sauce to coat it evenly. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit of the reserved pasta water to achieve the desired consistency.
Turn the heat off and drizzle a little more olive oil over the pasta and toss in some fresh basil leaves and freshly grated Grana Padano cheese. Stir it well again.
Serve the Spaghetti al Pomodoro hot, with extra cheese and basil on the top if desired. Enjoy this simple yet flavourful Italian classic.
