Keri’s Killer Red Pasta
Ingredients
Instructions
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In a large stock pot, boil water for the pasta. Add salt to the water. I have heard that one should add enough salt to pasta water to make it as salty as the ocean. I don’t know about that, but you should add some salt to the water to give the pasta the flavor it needs, and in this case, to add additional layers of flavor to the sauce.
Cut the tomatoes into large chunks and put into blender (I use my Vitamix). Pulse in the blender/Vitamix until the tomatoes are chopped, but not quite pureed. In a large, heavy saute pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until cooked through, but not crispy. Add the garlic and let sizzle until fragrant, but not brown. Add the red pepper flakes and let cook for 20-30 seconds until very fragrant. Add the tomatoes and stand back! (and wear an apron--this step will splatter!). Once the show has calmed down, stir to mix the ingredients and let simmer uncovered until the mixture has reduced somewhat and thickened.
Once the sauce has simmered and reduced a bit, add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook the pasta for about half the time indicated on the package. Transfer partially-cooked pasta into the sauce, reserving pasta water. Once the pasta is transferred to the saute pan with the sauce, add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water to the pan with the sauce and the partially cooked pasta. Turn the sauce pan up to medium high and, using tongs to carefully toss the pasta, sauce and water, cook until the pasta absorbs the water and finishes cooking. When the pasta is cooked and the sauce is pleasingly thickened, taste for seasoning. Enjoy with a big salad and a nice glass of chianti.
The first time I made this dish, Steve and I sat down and ate like wolves for about 5 minutes before turning to each other with tomato-sauce-stained mouths and said “damn, this is good!” Buon Appetito
In the summer, the farmer’s market is so full of beautiful, ripe and fragrant tomatoes, it’s all I can do to keep from taking them all home with me. Last summer, I had about a bushel of them sitting on my countertop and I had to figure out what to do with them before they turned to liquid. When tomatoes are red and ripe, they are best eaten with just a little salt right out of hand. In that spirit, I put together recipes that use as few ingredients as possible and showcase the delicious, sweet and tart flavors of those fresh gems of the summer sun. While I am a fan of substitutions in certain cases, for this recipe, please do not be tempted to use bacon instead of pancetta. I tried it in a pinch one day and I assure you, it was a mistake.
