Spaghetti With Tomato Sauce & Ricotta
Chef’s Note: Since this very simple dish relies heavily on its ingredients, look for good fresh ricotta and canned San Marzano tomatoes from Italy—they are extra-flavorful—at your local Italian market.
- One 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes
- 1 medium onion, halved
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4–6 tablespoons California Olive Ranch extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1 cup fresh ricotta
- Chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Step 1: Put the tomatoes into a heavy medium pot, rinse out the container with 2 cups water, and add it to the pot. Add the onions, garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Gently simmer over medium-low heat for about 1 hour. Adjust the seasonings. Add a little more olive oil to round out the flavor, if you like. Discard the onions and garlic.
Step 2: Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until just cooked, 10–12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Toss the pasta with the tomato sauce until thoroughly coated. Add the reserved cooking water to loosen the sauce if it is too thick. Divide between 4 plates and top with a big soupspoonful of ricotta and some chopped parsley.
Recipe courtesy of Canal House Cooks Every Day (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2012), by Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer
Reprinted with permission from the authors
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