Spaghetti al Pomodoro (a modo mio)

There are dishes that tell your story better than words ever could. For me, it’s “Spaghetti al pomodoro”.

By Gianina Rose

@la.nina.rose

October 21, 2025

Spaghetti al Pomodoro (a modo mio)

By Gianina Rose

Ingredients

7

ounces thick or square spaghetti
1

cup cherry or date tomatoes
1

cup tomato purée
5

tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2

garlic cloves
A handful of fresh basil leaves
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to taste
Crusty bread, for dipping
Salt, to taste
A glass of Gratsi Red, because it’s the Italian way

Instructions

TOTAL TIME

30 minutes

2 servings

There are dishes that tell your story better than words ever could. For me, it’s “Spaghetti al pomodoro”.
A true Italian classic, often taken for granted, but when it’s done right, it’s pure magic. It’s the dish I always make for my friends. And, of course, every time I say “I’ll cook something special tonight,” they laugh and ask, “What is it this time? Spaghetti with tomatoes?” Yes, exactly that. But somehow, they always end up asking for seconds.

Making it right is all about balance. You need just the right amount of good olive oil, sweet cherry tomatoes, a touch of tomato purée to make it creamy, fresh basil, and plenty of Parmesan to finish.
It’s not complicated, but every step matters. It’s one of those recipes you make by instinct, yet when everything comes together, it fills the kitchen with a smell that feels like summer, even in the middle of winter.

A wooden table displays cherry tomatoes, spaghetti, canned tomatoes, a glass of red wine, fresh basil, garlic cloves, and chopped tomatoes on a cutting board.

STEP 1

Slice the tomatoes in half, then in half again, so you get four small wedges from each. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil with the garlic over medium heat and let it gently sizzle for about a minute, don’t let it brown.

STEP 2

Add the tomatoes and the tomato purée, along with a few basil leaves. Let it simmer over medium heat for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the tomatoes soften and the sauce becomes rich but still a bit loose. If needed, press a few tomatoes with a fork to release their juices, you want a silky, slightly juicy sauce, not a thick paste.

A white bowl with blue flower patterns holds several small red tomatoes. The bowl is placed on a wooden surface.

A frying pan filled with tomato sauce and cherry tomato halves sits on a cloth. Nearby are a package of spaghetti and a plastic bag of cherry tomatoes with fresh basil leaves. The setting is a wooden surface.

STEP 3

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted water. Drain it about one minute before it’s fully done, reserving half a cup of the cooking water.
Return the pan with the sauce to the heat, add the pasta, and toss everything together for the final minute, adding a splash of the pasta water until the sauce coats each strand beautifully.

A bowl of tomatoes and a bunch of spaghetti on a cutting board.

STEP 4

To serve, twirl the spaghetti with a fork inside a ladle to form a little nest and place it neatly on the plate.
Top with a spoonful of fresh tomato, a generous shower of Parmesan, and serve with two slices of bread, for the scarpetta, as we say in Italy, the sacred act of mopping up every drop.

Add a glass of Gratsi Red, and you’ve got the perfect picture of Italian happiness: simple, honest, and impossible to resist.

A plate of spaghetti with tomato sauce and basil sits on a napkin, next to two slices of bread, a glass of red wine, and a gold fork on a wooden table.

A hand holds a fork twirling spaghetti over a plate of pasta with tomato sauce. Two slices of bread and a glass of red wine are nearby, all on a cloth napkin on a wooden table.

A plate with tomato sauce remnants, a sprig of basil, and a piece of bread sits on a yellow and white cloth. Nearby are a glass of dark liquid, a gold fork, and two slices of rustic bread on a wooden table.

Spaghetti al Pomodoro (a modo mio)

Spaghetti al Pomodoro (a modo mio)