Tagliatelle served with this sauce are to die for. And once you taste this fresh tomato sauce, you’ll never use canned tomatoes again. Don’t forget the red wine and buon appetito!

Make one recipe for Homemade Tagliatelle, previously published on this website.

Prep time: 55 to 60 mins for the tagliatelle & 25 mins for the tomato sauce
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
8 to 10 large, vine-ripened tomatoes (boiled in water until skins crack; drained and cooled)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 whole garlic cloves, peeled
3/4 cup finely chopped yellow or white onion
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Dash freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Next, prepare the tomato sauce:

1. Set a medium pot filled with 10 cups water to boil. Add tomatoes. When skins crack, tomatoes are cooked.

2. Drain tomatoes and cool. After the tomatoes have cooled, peel them.

2. Transfer the tomatoes in a blender and pulse blend to obtain either a coarsely chopped or puréed consistency; set aside.

3. In a 5-quart sauce pot, heat the oil. Add the garlic and onion to the oil and stir-fry on medium heat until onion is translucent.

4. Remove the sauce pot from the hot burner and carefully stir in the blended tomatoes (stand away from sauce pot so as to avoid hot splatters).

5. Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer on medium-low heat, semi-covered.

6. As the sauce simmers, stir in the salt, pepper, nutmeg and sugar.

7. Simmer the sauce for 20 to 25 minutes; taste and adjust seasonings.

8. Cook tagliatelle in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes or until desired tenderness.

9. Set a bowl of grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese on table and ask guests to serve themselves.

Red wine pairing suggestion: Aglianico, Barolo, Chianti or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Text and Photograph ©2012 Nancy DeLucia Real