Francesco Mattana, who has worked at Jamie Oliver’s Cookery School, shared the recipe for the ‘best tomato sauce I have ever eaten’ on his TikTok account
An Italian chef has shared the ‘best’ pasta dish you’ll ever taste, a favorite among Italians themselves – and it only requires a few ingredients and less than 30 minutes of your time. Chef Francesco Mattana, who has an extensive background working in restaurants in London and Australia and served as the Head Teaching Chef at Jamie Oliver’s Cookery School, recently revealed his favorite pasta dish on TikTok: spaghetti al Pomodoro.
Francesco’s recipe for this perfect midweek meal requires just a few ingredients, many of which you likely already have in your pantry. In fact, he’s so confident in this recipe that he’s called it the “best tomato sauce I have ever eaten”.
If that doesn’t convince you, what will?
In the caption of the video, Francesco wrote: “You guys have been loving this recipe as much as I do, literally millions of you.
“It’s the one and only Spaghetti al Pomodoro and I can confirm it’s no longer just my favorite pasta recipe, it’s yours too.”
“This recipe is all about using the best quality ingredients you can find. You need to buy the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can find and the best bronze drawn dry pasta too.
“Cooking the garlic this way makes it sweet and creamy without being too harsh, and really takes this dish to the next level.
“And for the tomatoes, this is of course a summer dish and they are in season so let’s make the most of them! I have used a mixed of cherry tomatoes and baby plum here.”
The only fresh ingredients you’ll require are a blend of succulent cherry and baby plum tomatoes, a substantial quantity of garlic cloves, fresh basil, and a liberal portion of Grana Padano cheese.
Francesco disclosed that spaghetti al Pomodoro is his top pasta creation because it’s “easy, simple, delicious”.
When the pasta is almost ready to plate, incorporate a dash of reserved pasta water, additional olive oil, extra basil, and generous helpings of cheese.
Francesco commented: “Wow… I can confirm it’s my favourite.”
His clip has already racked up over a staggering 2.4million views, garnering 175,200 likes and 1,230 comments.
One viewer commented: “PLEASE convince me Italian food isn’t just tomatoes and pasta with a hard cheese.”
Siggy remarked: “A simple, but great traditional pasta. Hits the spot every time.”
Another commented: “Garlic, tomatoes and basil the perfect combination.”
Joy noted: “I know what I’m making this weekend.”
So if you’re seeking to prepare a pasta creation with the “best” tomato sauce, this is what you’ll require.
Spaghetti al Pomodoro
Ingredients
To prepare the sauce, begin by rinsing the tomatoes and slicing them in half. Remove the skin and gently crush the garlic cloves.
Shred the basil leaves by hand to unleash their fragrance. In a large frying pan, warm two to three tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
Toss in the crushed garlic cloves and let them sizzle for about a minute, making sure they infuse the oil but don’t burn.
Next, add the halved tomatoes to the pan and season with a generous pinch of salt. Mix in the torn basil leaves, letting their aroma meld with the tomatoes.
Pour in a splash of water to help the tomatoes soften. Cover the pan and let the sauce simmer for five to ten minutes, or until the tomatoes have broken down into a chunky sauce.
Stir occasionally.
While the sauce is bubbling away, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook as per the package instructions until al dente.
Save about 1/4 cup of the pasta water before draining the spaghetti.
As the pasta nears readiness, remove the garlic cloves from the sauce, place them on your cutting board, crush them into a fine puree, and stir it back into the sauce.
Once the spaghetti is cooked, transfer it directly to the pan with the tomato sauce. Toss the spaghetti in the sauce to ensure it’s evenly coated.
If the sauce is too thick, add a bit of the reserved pasta water to reach the desired consistency.
Turn off the heat and drizzle a touch more olive oil over the pasta, toss in some fresh basil leaves and freshly grated Grana Padano cheese. Give it one final good stir.
Serve the Spaghetti al Pomodoro hot, with extra cheese and basil on top if desired. Savor this simple yet flavorful Italian classic.
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