“A lot has been said and written about Napoletana sauce,” says Sydney’s Armando Percuoco of the sauté of tomatoes that forms the basis of many Italian recipes. “There will never be one agreed recipe for all of Italy. But from discussions with countless chefs in Naples and from my lifetime of experience, this is the recipe I use. I know many chefs will say it needs ingredients like onions, carrots or celery. But this gets us away from what Napoletana sauce really is – the most important thing is the tomatoes. Equally important is the method of cooking – this is not a slow-cooked ragù, it is a sauce made quickly at the last moment, it should not be cooked for a long time.”
Ingredients
Method
Main
1.Blanch tomatoes in boiling water, refresh in iced water, peel and cut into 1cm pieces.
2.Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain.
3.Combine oil and garlic in a large saucepan and sauté over high heat until garlic is golden, add tomatoes and basil and cook for 4 minutes. Add pasta and stir to combine, season to taste, scatter with parmesan and serve immediately.
