Basic Parmesan Pomodoro
This basic parmesan pomodoro is my go-to pomodoro recipe! It gets so much flavor from simmering away with basil, garlic, a carrot and a Parmigiano rind. The rind is the secret here – it takes the sauce to the next level! I always save my rinds from Parmigiano and stick them in the freezer for when I make this recipe.
The other secret to why this recipe is so delicious is the tomatoes. I love a sweet, vibrant tomato sauce, and canned cherry tomatoes – aka, Pomodorini – are the best for that. They’re much sweeter than other varieties of canned tomatoes! That said, you can make this sauce with San Marzano tomatoes as well – the resulting sauce may not be quite as sweet, but it will be just as tasty.
Basic Parmesan Pomodoro
Prep Time
Cook Time
Inactive Time
Total Time
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for finishing
- 5 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 3 14 ounce cans peeled cherry tomatoes, such as Corbara
- 3 large full stems basil
- 1 carrot peeled and cut in half
- 1/2 pound parmigiano reggiano cheese rinds, cut into 3 inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pound pasta, such as pappardelle
- 3 to 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
INSTRUCTIONS:
- As seen on: Giada in Italy, Episode 8. Favorites From Italy.
- Heat a medium nonreactive saucepan over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and the garlic and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the garlic for 5 minutes, stirring often and mashing gently with a wooden spoon, until golden brown and beginning to soften. Add the cherry tomatoes and their juices, the basil, carrot and the parmesan rinds. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Bring to a simmer and adjust the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for 35 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Season the sauce with the salt. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
- Remove the rinds, carrot and the basil. At this point you can use an immersion blender to puree slightly or leave it as a chunky sauce.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than the package directions. Meanwhile, rewarm the sauce in a large, straight-sided skillet over medium heat. Using a spider, strain the pasta from the water and add directly into the pan with sauce. Before stirring, sprinkle the pasta with the 1/2 cup of grated parmesan. Toss the pasta, cheese and sauce together. Add the butter, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 cup of pasta water and continue to cook until the sauce is creamy and the pasta is al dente.
- Serve topped with more cheese if desired.
Excellent AND easy! Winning combination!
I’ve got a bumper crop of cherry tomatoes… can i use them in place of the canned pomodorini? (i know these are peeled…). Thanks!
Our go-to pomodoro. Truly the best recipe.
Our go-to pomodoro. Truly the best recipe.
One of my families favorite pasta dishes. So simple and delicious.
Really simple but very tasty sauce which coats the pasta beautifully and enjoyed by my 7yr old and her 78yr old Grandma