When it come to tomato sauce, Marcella Hazan's will always be my first, true love. But I've lately started seeing another tomato sauce on the side. My new one comes from José Andrés's quirky new vegetarian cookbook, Vegetables Unleashed. Andrés's sauce is not as buttery or suave or simple to make as Hazan's, but I love its intensity and the umami notes it develops from the patient frying of the skinned tomatoes. When preparing summer vegetables like green beans and eggplants, this is the dance partner you want. But don't wait for summer. Make it this weekend and serve it over pasta, and summer will seem like it's already here.
Marcella Hazan, our North Star for all foods Italian, gave us this simple and inspired recipe for pasta, herbs, and tomatoes. Herbaceous and aromatic, it makes for a great light dinner, especially as the weather heats up and the thought of a lush but heavy tomato sauce begins to lose some appeal. Save some leftovers for lunch the next day, served warmed or at room temperature. And feel free to play around with the combination of herbs; just make sure to use the most flavorful tomatoes around, be they big beefsteaks or little cherries. Buon appetito.