Comfort Food: Spaghetti con burro e pomodori (butter and tomato sauce)

by Stefania Butler, Posted Feb 8th 2006 @ 11:01AM

If your Valentine is anything like mine, he (she) appreciates a fine meal, sure, but would much prefer to snuggle up on the couch with a bowl of pasta and good movie. My favorite "warms-the-heart," comforting pasta dish is the one I grew up eating: spaghetti con burro e pomodori. My mom was a working mom so it was a dish she could throw together quickly. The beauty of this sauce, like so many good pasta sauces, is that in the time it takes to boil the pasta water and cook the pasta, it's done. The recipe is simple, but the key is to use the best ingredients you can get your hands on. Don't skimp on quality. Buon appetito!

Spaghetti con burro e pomodori (Spaghetti with butter and tomato sauce)

Put pasta water on to boil. Salt it generously. When water boils, add in 1 package of (thick) spaghetti. Cook about 1 minute less than package indicates for al dente pasta.

In the mean time, melt 1/2 cup of unsalted, best-quality butter in a saute pan ove medium heat. When butter starts to foam, add 2 cloves of minced garlic. Heat until butter smells garlicky and is completely melted then dump in a large can of imported San Marzano whole, peeled tomatoes. Smash tomatoes up with a wooden spoon.

Continue simmering until sauce is reduced by about a third, 20 minutes or so. Salt and pepper to taste. Toss with hot, cooked pasta. Pass the grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese. (My family is Roman, so we prefer pecorino romano.) Serves 4 as a main dish or 6 as a starter.

[photo: Stefania Pomponi Butler]

Filed Under: Ingredients, How To
Tags: america, burro e pomodori, butter and cheese sauce, comfort food, comfort foods, dinner, europe, grains, pasta, spaghetti

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

2-12-2006 @10:27PM John said... Enjoyed this the other night. I would recommend an extra clove or two of garlic and perhaps a smidge more butter. Not a lot, just a little.
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2-27-2006 @5:38PM Young T said... This was some tasty shit that's for sure! I don't think you need any more butter or garlic either.

I only have one question - since cooking this tomato sauce with butter was so tasty - then how come olive oil is used 99% of the time?

Anyway, very tasty!
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3-01-2006 @10:15AM Sara said... This was super yummy. I added a little bit of fresh basil, but that's it. I just recommended it to a friend. This I will surely make again and again.
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12-09-2006 @9:36PM MANUEL SKALRIAK said... THIS WAS A OVERWHELMINGLY EXPERIENCE, NOW MY LIFE IS DIVIDED IN TWO CULINARY PARTS: BEFORE AND AFTER TRYING THIS RECIPE. THANKS A LOT STEFI !!!!!
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