flipSpaghetti al Pomodoro Roman-Style
Spaghetti al Pomodoro Roman-Style
Why this dish? During the filming of *Roman Holiday* (1953), Audrey fell in love with Rome and its cuisine. All her life, she repeated that pasta was her favorite dish — a humble dish she made herself at home rather than at restaurants.
Simple spaghetti coated in a fresh tomato sauce scented with basil and olive oil. The quintessential Roman dish: three ingredients, no fuss, and all the taste of the Italian sun.
You see, I never needed much to be happy at the table. In Rome, I learned that a plate of spaghetti with tomato sauce, made with care, is worth all the feasts in the world. I would heat a little olive oil, let the tomatoes melt until they smelled wonderful, and finish with a few basil leaves from the garden. It's my favorite dish, I admit it without shame — simple, warm, and made with my own hands.
- •Spaghetti — a generous handful per person (base)
- •Ripe tomatoes — a few, very red (sauce)
- •Olive oil — a good drizzle (fat)
- •Garlic — one clove (aromatic)
- •Fresh basil — a few leaves (herb)
- •Parmesan — to grate (seasoning)
- •Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Spaghetti al Pomodoro Roman-Style
Simple spaghetti coated in a fresh tomato sauce scented with basil and olive oil. The quintessential Roman dish: three ingredients, no fuss, and all the taste of the Italian sun.
Why this dish? During the filming of *Roman Holiday* (1953), Audrey fell in love with Rome and its cuisine. All her life, she repeated that pasta was her favorite dish — a humble dish she made herself at home rather than at restaurants.
You see, I never needed much to be happy at the table. In Rome, I learned that a plate of spaghetti with tomato sauce, made with care, is worth all the feasts in the world. I would heat a little olive oil, let the tomatoes melt until they smelled wonderful, and finish with a few basil leaves from the garden. It's my favorite dish, I admit it without shame — simple, warm, and made with my own hands.
Ingredients (period version)
- Spaghetti — a generous handful per person (base)
- Ripe tomatoes — a few, very red (sauce)
- Olive oil — a good drizzle (fat)
- Garlic — one clove (aromatic)
- Fresh basil — a few leaves (herb)
- Parmesan — to grate (seasoning)
- Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Spaghetti — 320 g (base)
- Ripe tomatoes (or canned peeled) — 600 g (sauce)
- Extra virgin olive oil — 3 tbsp (fat)
- Garlic — 2 cloves (aromatic)
- Fresh basil — 1 small bunch (herb)
- Grated Parmesan — 60 g (seasoning)
- Salt — 1 tsp (seasoning)
Method
- Heat the olive oil over low heat and let the crushed garlic infuse for a minute, without browning.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and a pinch of salt, then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce is thick and fragrant.
- Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted water until al dente.
- Drain the pasta, reserving a little cooking water, and toss it with the sauce and a ladle of that water to coat well.
- Off the heat, add the chopped basil and serve immediately with grated Parmesan.
How it was made : In working-class Rome of the 1950s, *pomodoro* was made with market tomatoes in summer and home-canned tomatoes the rest of the year. People cooked with olive oil, butter being reserved for the north of Italy. The dish was a *primo*, served before a small meat or vegetable course.
The contemporary twist : A sprinkle of grated lemon zest on the final plating awakens the tomato and recalls the bright freshness Audrey loved in everything.
Audrey Hepburn · Charactorium
