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My Take on Italian

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Italian cuisine is often to be considered to be simple. I guess it is like with elegance - simplicity is the key. Good quality, real Italian ingredients are crucial, combined with a bit a passion, and not too complex a recipe. Pronto! Though, to tell you the truth, my very first steps with Italian cuisine included ... using instant sauces ... Nowadays I can't quite comprehend how anybody can claim they taste of anything, but I guess it takes trying to "the real deal" ...  

The very first thing I cooked from scratch, and we both instantly loved, was spaghetti Pomodoro e Basilico, as the Italian call it. Even though for the Italian it is "primo piato" (first dish), an introduction to the main meal, it is just the matter of the amount, as it surely can be the main meal as well!

All we need is spaghetti pasta, 4-5 ripe, sweet tomatoes, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon of passata, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, a few basil leaves, salt and pepper to season, grated parmesan, and a bit of love for cooking Italian :)

The sauce:
Put tomatoes into a bowl of hot water for a few minutes so as they are easier to peel. After a few minutes the skin will start to crack on them, when you take them out of water the skin usually peels itself off. Chop tomatoes and put them into a pan with chopped garlic, passata, olive oil and basil leaves.
Bring to to boil stirring from time to time. When it boils season with salt and pepper, and simmer for a few more minutes.
There's no need to add any water to the sauce, however if the tomatoes are not sweet enough you may add a bit of sugar to improve the taste.
Cook pasta according to the instructions on the packet. When it's ready mix it with the sauce, sprinkle frated parmesan on top and it's ready to serve. I usually decorate it with a basil leaf, 'cause I find it cute :) But of course, it's purely for aesthetic reasons.  


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