People often worry about whether they are a "good enough" cook to seduce the object of their affection. People e-mail me with their concerns, or come up to me after a cooking demonstration with a whispered question. I always smile when I see their worried expressions. Lighten up! I tell them. It isn't about the end result!
Your food doesn't have to taste as good as a dish from your favorite restaurant - that isn't the point! The fact that you're cooking for - or, hopefully with - someone is the point. Who cares if your pomodoro sauce isn't perfect? If your lover is licking it off of your fingers, does it really matter?!
In fact: pomodoro sauce is a great dish to start with. It's simple, it's beautiful, and it's a perfect match for a pile of hot, fresh pasta. That and a bottle of wine make a meal that is sure to get results...
ANDREA'S POMODORO SAUCE
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 sweet onion, diced
1 pound fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped. Cherry tomatoes make great pomodoro!
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into bits
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 pound fresh pasta, such as linguine, fettucine or spaghetti
1/2 cup grated best quality Parmigiano-Reggiano
In a saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium-low heat and saute the garlic and onions until limp and translucent. Add the tomatoes and increase heat to medium. Add the tomato paste and sugar, stirring with the wooden spoon until the mixture begins to bubble. Lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the sauce is reduced by one third. Add the basil and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and cool; if you used cherry tomatoes, you don't need to strain the sauce; otherwise, pass the sauce though a sieve to remove seeds.
In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to boil. Add a generous amount of salt, roughly 2 tablespoons. Remember, pasta cooks best in very salty water. When the water is boiling vigorously, add the pasta and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until al dente.
Remove from heat and drain. Place the pasta into a serving bowl and spoon the sauce over the top. Garnish with extra basil leaves and a handful of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Eat immediately. The licking of fingers is highly encouraged, as are contented, gusty sighs.
Love receiving your newsletters. Your recipes are easy and delicious. I hope to be in San Francisco in the fall and we most definitely will be visiting your restaurants. My husband and I shared a dinner table with you and your lady in an Oriental Restaurant in the Belagio about two years ago.....Regards.
Posted by: Mary P. Sabatini | April 14, 2006 at 11:54 PM