Spaghetti al Pomodoro con Cipolla e Aglio

Headnote

This is the plain truth of Italian cooking: a few ingredients, handled with discipline, can yield a dish of real character. The sauce must be sweet, concentrated, and clean; the pasta must remain supple and properly coated, never drowned. Every element serves balance, and nothing is allowed to blur.

Recipe essentials

Dish category: Pasta

Cuisine or origin: Italian

Course type: Main course

Yield: 1 serving

Serving size: 190 g

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Equipment

Medium saucepan

Small sauté pan

Large pot

Colander

Wooden spoon

Tongs

Ingredients

Pasta

75 g spaghetti

Sauce

10 g vegetable oil

20 g onion, finely diced

5 g garlic, finely sliced

80 g tomato sauce

Method

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt is not included in this recipe, so cook the spaghetti in unsalted water for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until just tender with a slight firmness at the center.

2. While the pasta cooks, warm the vegetable oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until translucent and soft without browning.

3. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Do not let it color.

4. Add the tomato sauce and simmer gently for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly reduced and glossy. It should taste rounded and lightly sweet, with no raw edge.

5. Drain the spaghetti well and add it directly to the sauce. Toss over low heat for 30 to 60 seconds until the pasta is evenly coated and the sauce clings in a thin, coherent layer.

6. Stop the cooking when the spaghetti is supple and the sauce is integrated, not watery. The finished texture should be moist but not loose, with each strand clearly defined.

Plating and serving

Twirl the spaghetti into a shallow warm bowl, allowing the sauce to settle evenly around the strands. Serve immediately with a clean surface and a modest, elegant finish.

Professional notes

Keep the onion fully soft before adding the tomato sauce; any firmness will disturb the final texture. The garlic must remain pale and aromatic, never browned. The sauce should finish just thick enough to coat the pasta without pooling beneath it.