It's a pasta night and the fridge contains no cream or parmesan. I do have garlic, olive oil, canned tomatoes, a lemon and a few herbs. Instead of treating it as an emergency, I'm thinking of a simple glossy sauce using starchy pasta water and olive oil, then something acidic for balance. What pantry-based pasta sauce is worth learning by feel rather than following a full recipe?
Making a quick pasta sauce when there is no parmesan or cream in the house
- practical-cooking
- quick
- pasta
- sauce
19
1 reply
A simple aglio e olio style sauce with tomatoes folded in works well if you keep the heat moderate. The main thing is to treat the pasta wat...
A simple aglio e olio style sauce with tomatoes folded in works well if you keep the heat moderate. The main thing is to treat the pasta water as an ingredient, not just something to drain away.
That's the version I make when the pantry is thin. Herbs at the very end, and a little zest if you want it brighter.
3 replies
Tomato, garlic and olive oil is already a real sauce, so I wouldn't overcomplicate it. Let the garlic soften, add the tomatoes, then use a s...
Tomato, garlic and olive oil is already a real sauce, so I wouldn't overcomplicate it. Let the garlic soften, add the tomatoes, then use a splash of pasta water at the end so it turns silky instead of watery.
Lemon is the wildcard here. A little at the end can wake it up, but too much and the sauce tastes like it had a bad day.
I would cook the pasta a little under and finish it in the pan. That usually gives you enough starch to bind the oil and tomato together.
Yes, and don't fry the garlic too hard. Burnt garlic is not a shortcut to depth, despite what the pan tries to tell you.