pasta

classic tomato spaghetti

servings
4-6

method

This pasta sauce takes minutes to cook. What’s great about this recipe for beginner cooks is that once you’ve done it a few times you can add other simple ingredients to your basic tomato sauce to completely transform it. Check out the end of the recipe, where I’ve given you some ideas to get started.

To prepare your pasta
Peel and finely slice the garlic. Finely slice your chile (halve and seed it first if you don’t want the sauce too hot). Pick the basil leaves off the stalks and put to one side. Finely chop the stalks.

To cook your pasta
Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil, add the spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, put a large saucepan on a medium heat and add 2 good lugs of olive oil. Add the garlic, chile, and basil stalks and give them a stir. When the garlic begins to brown slightly, add most of the basil leaves and the canned tomatoes. Turn the heat up high and stir for a minute. Season with salt and pepper. Drain the spaghetti in a colander then transfer it to the pan of sauce and stir well. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Divide the pasta between your bowls, or put it on the table in a large serving dish and let everyone help themselves. Roughly tear over the remaining basil leaves and grate over some Parmesan.

These can be added to your tomato sauce when it’s finished. Just stir in and warm through:
• Add a handful of baby spinach leaves to the sauce at the same time you add the pasta—when the leaves have wilted remove from the heat and serve with some crumbled goat’s cheese on top.
• A few handfuls of cooked shrimp and a handful of chopped arugula with the juice of ½ a lemon.
• A can of tuna drained and flaked into the sauce with ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, some black olives and the juice of ½ a lemon.
• A handful of fresh or frozen peas and fava beans

This recipe is taken from Jamie's Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver (Hyperion). © Jamie Oliver, 2009

ingredients

• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 fresh red chile
• A small bunch of fresh basil
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound dried spaghetti
• Olive oil
• 1 x 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 4 ounces Parmesan cheese

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1. by Alicia on Sun 26 Jun 2011 @ 22:08

Jamie Watching your show with my oldest, ten year old Leo, has transformed the way we eat at home. I am teaching all three kids about eating well, and am teaching them now information, habits that they will hopefully carry through their lvies. I have the opportunity to teach them things that I was never taught, and your show has been a big part of this. Our school cooks a fresh lunch, but we have room for improvement. We will be making sack lunches a lot this year, and asking questions and getting involved. God Bless and Viva La Revolucion de Comida! Alicia

2. by Tony on Sun 10 Apr 2011 @ 21:18

Jamie Oliver spaghetti is the best in the world!..Same fine taste time after time...no other compares. I have tried all the premium brands of spaghetti and the winner is Jamie Oliver! After many years I'm finally a converted Jamie Fan...

3. by Luca on Mon 20 Dec 2010 @ 00:28

My family loves you.
We love to cook. it's incredible
I'm from Ecuador, please do you can write this web in spanish. It's a little difficult.
Gracias!!!
L.

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