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From @Not Another Cooking Show

Paccheri alla Vittorio

1 hr 15 min · Serves 4

1 hr 15total
25 minhands on
22steps
4servings

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Ingredients

For the tomato base

  • 1 canned San Marzano DOP tomatoes (28 oz / 800 g)
  • 1 canned datterini or cherry tomatoes (14 oz / 400 g)
  • 1 canned baby Roma or plum tomatoes (14 oz / 400 g)
  • 1 lb fresh cherry or Roma tomatoes (450 g)
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (60 ml), plus 1/4 cup for emulsifying
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 thick stem fresh basil
  • 1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste

For the pasta

  • 1 lb paccheri or mezzo paccheri pasta (450 g)
  • Salt for the cooking water

For finishing

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and chilled (115 g)
  • 1 1/2 cups Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated (150 g)
  • Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Method

For the tomato base

  1. Chop the fresh tomatoes into halves or quarters.

  2. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a wide skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat.

  3. Add the smashed garlic cloves and the basil stem and sauté until slightly browned and aromatic, 2–3 minutes.

  4. Add the fresh tomatoes cut-side down, then the fresh cherry tomatoes, and season with salt.

  5. Remove the basil stem once it sags, about 2 minutes.

  6. Add all three cans of tomatoes, season with another pinch of salt, and stir to combine.

  7. Simmer uncovered over medium heat until the tomatoes break down completely and soften, about 40 minutes.

    Then 40 min of waiting

  8. Remove from the heat and allow the sauce to cool slightly, 5–10 minutes.

  9. Transfer the cooked tomatoes to a blender and begin puréeing on low speed.

  10. Gradually increase the blender speed to high while slowly drizzling in the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil to emulsify and turn the sauce a lighter orange hue, about 1 minute.

  11. Pass the blended sauce through a fine mesh strainer back into a clean skillet for an ultra-smooth finish.

For the pasta

  1. Set the strained tomato sauce back over low heat to bring it to a gentle simmer.

  2. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a gentle, lazy boil.

    Do not use a hard rolling boil, as paccheri break apart easily.

  3. Drop in the paccheri and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute less than the package instructions (about 17 minutes).

    Then 17 min of waiting

  4. Use a spider to transfer the pasta directly into the simmering tomato sauce, along with a small ladle of pasta cooking water.

  5. Gently fold the pasta in the sauce over low heat until well coated, about 1 minute.

For finishing

  1. Remove the skillet from the heat completely.

  2. Add the chilled butter cubes a few at a time, stirring constantly to melt them into the sauce and create an emulsion (mantecatura).

  3. Gradually add most of the grated Parmigiano Reggiano while stirring continuously, watching the sauce thicken and become glossy and velvety.

  4. Tear in a handful of fresh basil leaves and stir them into the sauce.

  5. Divide the pasta among warm bowls, spooning extra sauce over each portion.

  6. Garnish with baby basil leaves and the remaining Parmigiano Reggiano and serve immediately. Equipment high speed blender fine mesh strainer

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