Family Meal Spaghetti (From The Bear)
A delicious and easy spaghetti sauce made with 10 garlic cloves, a bunch of fresh basil, and San Marzano tomatoes. Perfect for any night of the week.
Servings 6
Calories 532
Ingredients
- 1 lb spaghetti
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 10 whole peeled garlic cloves
- A good handful of fresh basil including stems
- Two 28 oz cans of San Marzano tomatoes 56 oz total
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil or parsley for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil to cook the pasta. Cook the pasta until it's slightly underdone. Reserve about a cup of the cooked pasta water, then drain the pasta and set it aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine the olive oil, whole peeled garlic cloves, and fresh basil. Simmer the mixture gently for 2 to 3 minutes until the basil is wilted. Remove the basil and set it aside. Continue cooking the garlic until it turns slightly golden. Remove the saucepan from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
- Use a blender or food processor to puree the tomatoes, cooked garlic, reserved basil, and 2 tablespoons of the oil from the garlic mixture until you have a smooth sauce.
- Transfer the tomato mixture to a shallow skillet over medium heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 10 minutes to thicken.
- Add the chopped herbs to the sauce and taste for seasoning. Adjust with more salt if needed. Reserve 2 cups of the sauce for later use; store the remaining sauce for another occasion.
- Add the partially cooked spaghetti to the skillet and toss it well to coat with the sauce. Continue cooking until the pasta reaches al dente texture. If the sauce appears too thick, you can add a bit of the reserved pasta water to achieve the desired consistency.
- Taste the dish for seasoning again and add more salt if necessary. Serve the pasta with grated Parmesan cheese at the table.
Video
Notes
This is the recipe written on Michael's card, not the version Carmy cooks at the end. To make Carmy's version, add red pepper flakes to the garlic mixture. Then cut an onion in half, and cook it in a pan cut side down with butter until lightly browned before adding the sauce. Then simmer it in sauce and discard before adding the spaghetti.
This recipe makes enough sauce for 2 meals. I wanted to stay true to the card but make it a realistic family meal, so pack up half the sauce and save it for another time.
- Add and remove the basil to the oil in stages for the most flavor without crisping the leaves.
- Cook the garlic until it turns a light golden color for a rich flavor that mellows the bitterness in the garlic.
- When cooking pasta, salt the water well to season the pasta. Even the best sauce in the world can't fix bland pasta.
- Be careful when seasoning the sauce before you add the pasta. The pasta water will be salty, and you don't want to overseason the dish.
- Undercook your spaghetti and allow it to finish cooking in the sauce. It helps the pasta bind with the sauce and absorbs more flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 532 | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 355mg | Potassium: 964mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 569IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 5mg