Vegan fresh tomato and garlic spaghetti alla Maratea
This super simple fresh tomato and garlic spaghetti recipe comes from the coastal town of Maratea in Basilicata, Southern Italy. The pasta condiment of fresh peeled tomatoes, garlic and olive oil simmers in a bain-marie (bagnomaria in Italian) until the tomatoes are slightly soft and infused with a garlicky flavor. The sauce is then tossed with cooked spaghetti and basil leaves. A unique way to prepare an Italian classic!
Servings: 4
Calories: 469kcal
Equipment
- 1 large pot to cook spaghetti
- 1 heatproof bowl for Bain Marie
- 1 pot to simmer water for Bain Marie
- 1 chopping board
- 1 sharp knife
Ingredients
- 13 ounces spaghetti or troccoli or spaghetti alla chitarra
- 1.5 pounds fresh vine or grape tomatoes summer tomatoes are best.
- 2-3 cloves garlic peeled and sliced
- 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
- salt to cook pasta and to taste
- freshly ground black pepper.
- 6-8 fresh basil leaves
Optional ingredients
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes (peperoncino)
Instructions
Prepare tomatoes and garlic.
- Wash the tomatoes and cut an ‘x’ into one area of the skin. Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water and then run them under cold water. Next peel them, remove the seeds and cut into pieces. Peel the garlic and cut each clove into slithers.
Make the condiment
- Place the prepared tomatoes into a heatproof bowl along with the garlic, olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and let it sit for about 15 minutes until the tomatoes warm and soften slightly. Stir occasionally.
Cook Pasta
- Put a pot of water onto boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to a boil again. Cook the spaghetti al dente, drain it and add it to the bowl with the tomatoes. As you can see from my photos, I changed bowls to one that was big enough for the pasta.
Finish and serve
- Mix every thing together and then allow the spaghetti and tomatoes to sit for 2-3 minutes over the Bain Marie. Serve immediately with fresh basil leaves and some freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
You can use gluten-free spaghetti to make this recipe gluten free.
For best results use fresh ripe summer tomatoes and a good quality extra virgin olive oil.
I used troccoli pasta but spaghetti alla chitarra or normal thick spaghetti are perfect too.
If you use short pasta tubes such as penne, this recipe makes a delicious pasta salad.
Cook's tip: Italians only add salt to the pasta water after it starts boiling. This prevents damage to your pot and the water will boil faster.
Nutrition
Calories: 469kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 23mg | Potassium: 626mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1597IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg