IN THE WAKE OF JULIA CHILD'S COMPREHENSIVE TOMES ON FRENCH COOKING, CAME MARCELLA HAZAN. WHEREAS MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING MEANT MASTERING CULINARY TECHNIQUES, SOME UNFAMILIAR TO THE EVERYDAY AMERICAN COOK, HAZAN'S TWO-VOLUME EQUIVALENT* REFLECTED THE RELATIVE SIMPLICITY OF ITALIAN CUISINE: GREAT INGREDIENTS AND FEWER OF THEM, SIMPLER TECHNIQUES, SHORTER COOKING TIMES AND SHORTER RECIPES. THIS, OF COURSE, IS A GENERALIZATION. THERE ARE PLENTY OF ELABORATE ITALIAN DISHES AND LOTS OF SIMPLE FRENCH RECIPES. STILL, IT'S HARD TO MATCH MARCELLA'S CLASSIC TOMATO SAUCE MADE WITH CANNED TOMATOES, A WHOLE ONION AND A STICK OF BUTTER. EVEN SIMPLER IS THIS RECIPE, A FAVORITE OF MINE, WHICH I ONLY MAKE DURING TOMATO SEASON, BLESSEDLY LONG IN LOS ANGELES. YOU CUT UP A BUNCH OF TOMATOES, PREFERABLY DIFFERENT VARIETIES, TOSS THEM IN YOUR PASTA BOWL WITH FRESH HERBS AND JUST BEFORE THE COOKED PASTA IS DONE, HEAT HALF A CUP OF OLIVE OIL TILL IT SMOKES AND POUR IT OVER THE RAW TOMATOES AND HERBS. THEN, YOU TOSS WITH THE DRAINED PASTA ET VOILA, JULIA!
*MARCELLA HAZAN'S FIRST TWO VOLUMES HAVE BEEN COMBINED IN THE ESSENTIALS OF CLASSIC ITALIAN COOKING.
BRING A LARGE POT OF WATER TO A BOIL. SALT GENEROUSLY.
CUT UP THE TOMATOES INTO 1/2-INCH CHUNKS AND PLACE IN THE PASTA BOWL.
PUT IN THE PASTA TO BOIL.
CHOP UP THE HERBS AND TOSS WITH THE TOMATOES, SALT AND FRESH GROUND PEPPER
POUR THE OIL INTO A SMALL SAUCEPOT. A MINUTE BEFORE THE PASTA IS DONE, HEAT THE OIL TILL IT STARTS TO SMOKE.
DRAIN THE PASTA.
POUR THE HOT OIL OVER THE HERBS AND TOMATOES. TOSS WITH THE DRAINED PASTA AND SERVE.
OPTIONAL: FRESHLY-GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE AND/OR CHILI FLAKES
Ingredients
