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A white plate with a mound of spaghetti on it and a stem of basil leaves on top. A fork is holding spaghetti above the plate, a bottle of chianti is in the background.

Audrey Hepburn's Spaghetti al Pomodoro Pasta Recipe

Spaghetti al Pomodoro is a slightly sweet tasting tomato sauce served over al dente pasta. The dish features garden-fresh carrot, celery, and onion combined with Italian Roma tomatoes and topped with freshly grated parmesan-reggiano cheese. This tasty meal will take you straight from Breakfast at Tiffany's to dinner in Naples!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6
Calories 95 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 deep skillet
  • 1 6 quart pot
  • 1 blender or immersion blender

Ingredients
  

  • 2 - 28 oz. cans, peeled Italian Roma tomatoes
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 1 carrot diced
  • 1 stalk celery diced
  • 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 basil leaves chopped
  • 1 pinch sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese grated

Instructions
 

  • Put undrained tomatoes and diced onion, carrot, and celery into a deep dish skillet, and cook, covered, over medium-high heat for 10 minutes.
  • Remove lid and turn heat to medium-low; simmer for an additional 15 minutes, until vegetables soften.
  • Add a teaspoon of olive oil and chopped basil leaves. Continue cooking uncovered on medium-low until water bubbles disappear and turn into sauce bubbles, and sauce thickens (about 20 minutes.) Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
  • Transfer sauce to blender and puree briefly, until vegetables are blended and smooth. Return to skillet over low heat.
  • Cook 1 lb. of spaghetti to al dente according to package directions. Drain.
  • Add another teaspoon of olive oil and season sauce with salt, freshly ground pepper, and a pinch of sugar to taste.
  • Serve with freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese and a basil leaf on top.

Notes

  1. Notes:
    1. Use a dicing tool to quickly and easily prepare your vegetables for the sauce.
    2. Use an electric blender or an immersion blender to puree the vegetables into the sauce.
    3. Don't break the pasta. Pasta is not broken in Italy because the longer strands are easier (and neater) to wrap around a fork for eating. It's also easier to twirl with the tongs for an attractive presentation on the dinner plate.
    4. Cook noodles for the minimum amount of time listed on the package directions, or even a minute less. The noodles should be firm with a good "bite" to them. They will continue to soften when they are added to the hot tomato sauce.
    5. Add a teaspoon of salt but no oil to the pot when you cook the pasta. Oil coats the noodles and causes the sauce to slide off of them rather than cling to them like it should. Just stir the pot from time to time to make sure the noodles don't stick together.
Serving Suggestion:
Serve with a Caesar's salad and hot garlic bread.
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Nutrition

Calories: 95kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 5gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 494mgPotassium: 96mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1868IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 157mgIron: 0.2mg
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