If you’re a student or someone who doesn’t have much time to dedicate to cooking a quick, healthy meal, you should definitely make fresh pomodoro sauce. When I studied abroad in London a year and a half ago I was balancing an internship, taking classes, and getting used to the terrain of living in a new country. I had four months to explore one of the best cities in the world, so staying home and cooking a five-star dinner was definitely not a priority. While I ate out at a ton of amazing restaurants like Dishoom, Franco Manca, and, yes, Nandos (!!), I still had to keep a balanced diet and wallet.
Fresh pomodoro sauce was the perfect fix: easy to make, healthy, and quick! Soon enough, this meal became my go-to before a night out in Shoreditch with friends, a picnic in Hyde Park, or a bite before a long night class. When I got back to Boston, I continued making this pomodoro. Each time I do, I feel like I’m back in my favorite city, London.
What’s great about this recipe is you can get a ton of “hidden” greens in while the pasta still tastes delicious. Just make sure to use small tomatoes because large ones will make it too mushy and won’t bring out a sweet flavor! Check out the recipe below.
Ingredients:
- 1 package of tricolor, cherry, grape, or campari tomatoes. Using small, flavorful tomatoes is key because they make the sauce sweet once sautéed
- 1 package (or 1/2 if you prefer) of regular or baby spinach. This may seem like a lot, but it will wilt! You can also use any leafy green here, such as kale!
- Olive oil (just enough to coat your pan)
- Drizzle extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup (more or less) of pinot grigio or any white wine. I don’t always use white wine when making this recipe because the tomatoes are so flavorful, so this is optional if you prefer!
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
- 1 clove finely chopped garlic
- Sprinkle salt
- Sprinkle pepper
- 1 pound pasta of any kind
Directions:
- Boil the pasta according to the directions on the box
- Clean the tomatoes and spinach
- Cover the large pan in olive oil and white wine
- Slice the tomatoes in half if they are cherry or grape tomatoes. If they are large, like campari tomatoes, slice them in quarters
- Chop the garlic very finely
- Turn the stove on medium-high heat and add the tomatoes and garlic
- Finely chop the parsley, and add that to the pan
- Let simmer in the pan until the tomatoes begin to soften and somewhat break apart (about 5-7 minutes). Reduce heat if necessary
- Sprinkle in salt and pepper
- Add the spinach
- Keep mixing in the spinach to help it wilt. It will begin to wilt rapidly (less than 5 minutes)
- Once the spinach wilts, reduce to low heat
- Add a couple of spoonfuls of pasta water if your sauce needs to be more liquid-y
- Drain the pasta. I like using rigatoni because it’s my favorite pasta and its ridges soak up this sauce nicely. A short fusilli is also great!
- Pour the pasta into the pan of sauce
- Mix until the pasta is covered in sauce, and you’re ready to serve!
Note: This recipe doesn’t have strict measurement guidelines, so if you’re only making it for one person or only a couple people, just eyeball it and use less ingredients because the flavor will still come out the same!
Antone Appetit 