Photo by Sarah Shatz
drbabs's Testing Notes:
Expand CollapseRoxanne DeRosa's Notes:
Expand1 #10 can crushed tomatoes Ask a question about this ingredient
3 cups packed fresh basil Ask a question about this ingredient
7 cloves garlic or more Ask a question about this ingredient
1/3 cup extra vigin olive oil Ask a question about this ingredient
salt and pepper to taste Ask a question about this ingredient
Use a food processor to finely chop basil or it can be done by hand. In a large bowl empty the canned tomatoes, basil, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix these ingredients together and refrigerate over night. When you're ready to use, remove from the refrigerator and add oil, stir well. In the meantime, cook the pasta al dente, drain and add the sauce. The hot pasta will warm the cold sauce. No cheese please...it's not needed. This recipe makes enough to make 2 complete dinners, or keep remaining sauce in the fridge for your pizza's.
Ask a question about this stepThis was a regular "cold" side dish on the salad bars of Elby's back in the 1970 - 90s. Always put it on my plate. Can't wait to make some.
What is "#10 can crushed tomatoes"? A 28 ounce can?
Also had this for lunch today as a sauce for dymnyno's zuccaghetti--it was really good!
I made this over the weekend--as I was getting the ingredients together, I realized that a #10 can of crushed tomatoes contains 12 cups (!). So I used a 750 ml box of Pomi crushed tomatoes and cut the rest of the ingredients to 1/3 (1 cup basil, 2 cloves garlic, 2 TB olive oil), and that seemed about right. I also started with 1/2 tsp. salt and 6 turns of freshly ground black pepper for the overnight refrigeration. Roxanne doesn't tell us what to do with the garlic; I smashed 2 cloves and let them sit in the sauce overnight, then fished them out the next day. This gave the sauce a garlic essence without overpowering it. However, raw garlic lovers (not me) could just mince up the cloves and keep them in the sauce. I found that the oil blended in better if I let the sauce come to room temperature first. Roxanne recommends pouring it cold over hot spaghetti. I thought that it cooled off the pasta too much, even at room temperature. It benefitted from being warmed slightly. The sauce certainly comes together easily and is a good base for whatever you like in a pasta (or pizza) sauce. The variations are endless--saute some onion in the oil before mixing it into the sauce; some chopped oregano and parsley from the garden; add some red pepper flakes and/or some minced anchovies; stir in a little ricotta cheese. In this hot weather, it was nice to have prepared sauce the night before and not have to heat up the kitchen.
Never heard sauce prepared this way, but it totally makes sense. Would be great for a dinner al fresco!
Sounds great! Have never thought to do this, but it makes great sense. And it's perfect for the hot weather. Yummmmm. ;o)
Done it!
Awesome dish!