Tomato and basil sauce – Pomodoro e basilico
This tomato and basil sauce, which is also called “Pomodoro e Basilico” in Italy, has only 4 basic ingredients but their combination is what makes them so tasty. After all, the deliciousness of the Mediterranean cuisine lies in the simplicity and fresh ingredients, beautifully combined together.
Where can you use this basic tomato and basil sauce (Pomodoro e Basilico)?
This sauce has a lot of uses and it can be combined with many dishes. It goes great with pasta, lasagna but also as a basic sauce for a pizza. Since it is a basic sauce you can add other ingredients according to your liking such as mushrooms, for example, bacon or sausage depending on the dish you plan to use it.
I would first recommend trying this sauce without any other ingredient additions to understand the deliciousness that comes from simple but fresh ingredients.
This sauce is so tasty that you only need to cook it once to become your favorite tomato and basil sauce!
What variety of fresh tomatoes should you use for this recipe?
Pomodoro (Pomo d’oro = Golden Apple) is one of the most famous tomato varieties for the creation of a tomato sauce. It has a cylinder/conical shape and is one of the oldest varieties there is- originating from Naples, Italy. If you can find them at your local supermarket give them a try, if not, any fresh tomatoes can also be used.
2 ways to combine the sauce with pasta
1
The Italian method. Add the pasta to the sauce with a little from the pasta water and combine. If you use this method you should eat the pasta right away because if they are kept in the sauce for long they get soggy and lose their taste.
2
Keep the sauce and pasta separate and add them together on your plate when you are ready to eat it. With this method, you can safely add the sauce and pasta to the fridge and combine the next day without losing taste.
Choose the method of your liking and enjoy this simple but delicious tomato and basil sauce!
Tomato and basil sauce – Pomodoro e basilico
Ingredients:
- 3 big fresh ripe Tomatoes, grated
- 1/3 cup fresh Basil, finely chopped
- 1 Onion, finely chopped
- 70g Tomato paste (1 ½ Tbsp)
- 3 Tbsp Olive oil
- A pinch of Salt and Black pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Sauté the onion with the olive oil in a sauce pot over high heat.
- Add the grated tomatoes and the tomato paste and stir.
- Add the finely cut fresh basil, pinch of salt, black pepper, and stir to combine.
- Reduce the heat to low (3/9), let it simmer for 10 minutes and the sauce is ready.
Notes:
- The volume of the basil, uncut, should be about 1 cup which will become 1/3 of the cup after you finely chop it.
- Sauce, Recipes
- basil, fresh tomatoes, olive oil, onions, tomato paste, tomatoes
- COURSE: Sauce
- CUISINE: Italian
- Recipe by: Christina Karagianni
Did you make this recipe? Or are you planning to make it? Let me know in the comments below, tag me on Instagram @freshpiato or show me your photos on Pinterest!
