La Quinta, California: I subscribe to far-too-many foodie newsletters and emails from recipe sites, but I need ideas, people. My Driver could eat pasta every night, so whenever something new or fun pops up in my inbox, I am willing to give it a try. The other day, Bon Appetit sent a recipe for Bucatini with Butter-Roasted Tomato Sauce, originally published in 2017. There is nothing really that wild about the recipe, as I have a similar recipe using fresh tomatoes, but this one utilizes whole canned tomatoes with a few anchovies - and every ingredient is a pantry staple for nearly everyone. Wanted to share it with you.
It was super easy, with little hands-on work. The sauce was made early in the day and refrigerated until dinner time. Believe it or don't - I made the recipe exactly according to the directions! The only difference: as since this recipe serves four, half the sauce was frozen for a later date and only 6 ounces of pasta was boiled. The recipe calls for a 28 ounce can of whole tomatoes, dumped in a large baking dish and mashed-up with your fingers, with EIGHT smashed cloves of garlic, a half-stick of butter, two anchovy fillets, 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, salt and pepper sprinkled over, then roasted in a 425 degree oven for 40 minutes, stirred half-way, and smashed up with a potato masher before serving over pasta. That's the whole recipe. It's like Marcella Hazen moved to Naples!
Ready for the oven. Yep, that's butter and garlic.
After 20 minutes.
After 40 minutes.
After a good workout with a potato masher.
Dang, if this wasn't really good and really easy. Garnished with freshly grated (in my food processor) parmesan and chopped parsley. We couldn't finish even 6 ounces of pasta though, so next time will boil less.
Until my next update, I remain, your saucy correspondent.
That looks delicious!!
I too received this recipe and prepared it this evening. It is a keeper….and so easy. Instead of pasta, I served it over shredded zucchini and onion that I sauteed in olive oil. I think I will mince the garlic next time. I wasn’t wild about the large chunks of cooked garlic.
I chopped the garlic, as you can see from the photos.
Looks great! Both links go to the same recipe on your website. Here is the link to the Bon Appetit recipe. https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/bucatini-with-butter-roasted-tomato-sauce
Thanks for the great dinner idea.
Thank you, Barbara – I have repaired the link. I need to fire my editor.
😉
Terry, can you taste the anchovies? Or do they just give the dish umami? I like them but I would have to purée them so hubby didn’t know they were in there. Could I get away with that?
Subtle perfect umami.