This recipe is an illustration of how the same classic techniques and ingredients can make completely different dishes. Last week, I used a mirepoix to form the base of the sauce for a lamb shank. Here, I've created a classic, simple tomato sauce. I think the ratio of sauce to pasta is important. There's just enough here to lightly coat the fettuccine, rather than have it swimming in sauce. The sauteed vegetables give the dish texture. Note also that when I make tomato sauce, I always prefer to use crushed tomatoes or chopped tomatoes, rather than tomato paste. This will give you a lighter, runnier sauce than the intense tomato paste. You can leave the dish as a simple and elegant pasta course, or you can make a meal of it by adding some Italian sausage, some pan-seared ham, or whatever meat you like.
- 1/2 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 carrots
- 1 stalk celery
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes
- Dried oregano
- Salt and pepper
- 3/4 pound dry fettuccine
- Fresh flat leaf parsley
- Crumbled Parmiggiano-Reggiano
Instructions
We'll start by preparing the mirepoix. Heat some olive oil in a saute pan, medium-high heat. Dice the onion and add to pan. Peel and dice the carrots and add. Peel, then crush or mince the garlic and add. Finally, dice the celery and add this as well. Thrown in some oregano. Cook everything, tossing frequently, until lightly browned.
Add the crushed tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Make sure to taste the sauce as you go along.
Cook the pasta in the usual way, 10 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain, rinse. Once the sauce is done, pour it into the pot with the pasta. Toss well to coat over heat for a few minutes. Serve with parsley and crumbled Parmiggiano.
Nice looking and fresh looking dish. This is the kind of simple pasta dish that may be eaten in Italy as a primo, the first course. Italians would typically eat a meat course, the secondo to follow the primo. That explain why the primo is often meatless. A lighter, fresher Italian red wine would go well with this. As a variation, garlic or herbs may vary. A little anchovy in the sauce may kick up richness. A little white wine may pick up acidity a bit. Of course, all these would be fine-tuning that any chef, including Sebastian would do and constantly adjust if needed or desired. We in America tend to eat pasta with more meat in it or serve a meat with it. Neither is the standard practice in the old country. There is a lot of history how Italian cuisine evolved in American. This looked like an authentic Italian past course. Great job here of doing simple but good. I love the vibrancy of the color on the photo also.
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