Spaghetti with Fresh Basil and Slow Tomato Sauce

What you need

• 350 g (12 oz) spaghetti
• 800 g (28 oz) whole peeled plum tomatoes, canned, 2 cans
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
• 1 bunch fresh basil, leaves picked, stalks kept
• 1 pinch chili flakes, optional
• 40 g (1 1/2 oz) parmigiano reggiano, finely grated, optional
• salt, to taste, plus more for the pasta water

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Tip the tomatoes into a bowl and break them up with your hands or a fork into small pieces, keeping all the juice.

2. 2

   Warm the olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and the chili flakes, if using, and let them sizzle gently until the garlic is pale gold, 2-3 min.

3. 3

   Pour in the tomatoes with their juice, add the basil stalks and a good pinch of salt, and raise the heat to bring it to a lively simmer.

4. 4

   Cook uncovered, stirring now and then, until the sauce thickens and the oil starts to pool at the edges, 15-20 min.

5. 5

   Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well.

6. 6

   Add the spaghetti and boil until 1-2 min short of al dente.

7. 7

   Fish the garlic and basil stalks out of the sauce and taste it for salt.

8. 8

   Scoop out a mug of cooking water, then drain the spaghetti and add it to the pan.

9. 9

   Toss over medium heat with a splash of the cooking water until the sauce clings to every strand and the pasta is al dente, 1-2 min.

10. 10

    Tear in most of the basil leaves and drizzle with a little more olive oil, then toss once more.

11. 11

    Divide between warm plates and finish with the remaining basil and the parmigiano, if using.

Imported from deliciousmagazine.co.uk. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.