Recipe for: Spaghetti with summer tomatoes and basil (Polish-modern) - photo 1
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Recipe for: Spaghetti with summer tomatoes and basil (Polish-modern)

Spicy Main dishes Fusion cuisine 25 min Easy 34 views ~12.08 PLN - (0)
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Description

An easy and fresh pasta dish that combines the simplicity of Italian technique with a Polish, seasonal approach — ripening summer tomatoes, fragrant basil, and a delicate emulsion of oil. This is a light, aromatic meal that comes together quickly (about 25 minutes) and works great as a main course for a Sunday lunch, a light dinner, or a meal for guests. Vivid colors: red tomatoes, green basil, and golden pasta. Serve immediately, preferably with well-chilled white wine or craft beer; for children, it’s worth serving with grated yellow cheese. A simple twist: instead of whole tomatoes, you can add some cherry tomatoes for sweeter notes.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (9)

Servings:
4
  • Spaghetti pasta 400 g
  • Tomato 4.2 pcs (~500 g)
  • Garlic 2 clove (~10 g)
  • Olive oil 30 ml
  • 🌿 Spices
  • Basil 30 g
  • Salt 6 g
  • Black pepper 2 pinch (~1 g)
  • ✨ Optional
  • Cheese 50 g
  • Butter 20 g
💰 Estimated dish cost: ~12.08 PLN (3.02 PLN/serving)

💡 Click an ingredient to mark it as used

Preparation steps

Preparation

1

Wash the tomatoes under cold water and dry with a paper towel. If you are using larger tomatoes (field tomatoes), cut off the stem and dice each tomato into about 1–1.5 cm cubes: cut in half, lay flat side down, slice into strips, then crosswise into cubes. If you have cherry tomatoes, cut them in half. Peel and finely chop the garlic: cut off the end of the clove, crush it with a knife, peel, and then finely chop or press through a garlic press.

Ingredients: Garlic
Use a cutting board and a small sharp knife. If the skin of the tomatoes is very tough, score a cross on the bottom, pour boiling water over them for 10–20 seconds, and then immerse them in cold water — the skin will come off easily.

Sauce

2

Heat a large skillet (24–28 cm in diameter) over medium heat. Pour in 2 tablespoons of oil (about 30 g), and wait 30 seconds until it warms up slightly. Add the chopped garlic and sauté very briefly — for 30–45 seconds, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the garlic becomes fragrant but does not brown (brown garlic will be bitter).

Ingredients: Olive oil, Garlic
Use a heavy-bottomed pan, a wooden spoon or spatula. Watch the garlic — if it starts to brown, immediately reduce the heat and add the tomatoes.
3

Add the chopped tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt (about 3 g) to the pan, along with freshly ground pepper (a pinch). Slightly increase the heat and cook, stirring every minute, for 6–8 minutes — the tomatoes should release their juice, reduce in volume, and slightly break down, creating a moist but not watery sauce.

Ingredients: Salt, Black pepper
Cook the sauce over medium-high heat, but watch out for splattering juice. If the sauce is too watery, cook uncovered for longer; if it's too thick, add 1–2 tablespoons of pasta cooking water later.

Cooking pasta

4

In a large pot (min. 4–5 l), bring 3–4 liters of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add about 10 g of salt per liter of water (a total of ~30–40 g; we have already added 6 g of salt to the dish as a base — be careful with salting the sauce). Add the pasta to the boiling water, stir immediately with a spoon to prevent it from sticking. Cook according to the time on the package, usually 8–10 minutes for spaghetti — taste the pasta after 7 minutes; it should be al dente (slightly firm in the center).

Ingredients: Spaghetti pasta, Salt
Use a large pot and plenty of water to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Start timing only after the water has come to a boil again after adding the pasta. Reserve 100–150 ml of the cooking water before draining.

Assembly and serving

5

When the sauce is ready (should have a slightly moist, concentrated consistency), reduce the heat to low. Add 1–2 tablespoons of olive oil (about 15–30 g) to the sauce and, if using, pieces of cold butter (20 g) — vigorously stir with a wooden spoon until the butter melts and the sauce becomes glossy. Toss the drained pasta into the pan with the sauce, add 2–3 tablespoons of reserved cooking water, and vigorously mix/toss for 30–60 seconds to combine the sauce with the pasta — the sauce should coat the strands, and the overall dish should be creamy.

Ingredients: Spaghetti pasta, Olive oil, Butter
Use tongs or two large forks to toss the pasta in the pan. Reserving pasta water is key to achieving the emulsion — add it by the tablespoon if needed.
6

Remove the pan from the heat. Portion the pasta onto plates, tear fresh basil into smaller leaves over the plate (do not chop with a knife — it will darken) and scatter on top. If you like, grate yellow cheese (about 50 g for the whole or to taste) directly onto the plate. Season with salt and pepper to taste if needed.

Ingredients: Basil, Cheese
For decoration, use larger basil leaves, do not crush them in the sauce. Use a fine grater for cheese or a microplane for a delicate sprinkle. Additionally, you can add grated yellow cheese to enhance the flavor.
7

Serve immediately, preferably on warm plates. If needed, provide extra olive oil and freshly ground pepper at the table. The pasta loses its creaminess after sitting for too long, so serve right away.

Ingredients: Olive oil, Black pepper
If you need to prepare in advance, keep the sauce and pasta separate; combine them again in a pan over low heat with a little cooking water just before serving.

Fun Fact

💡

The simple combination of tomatoes, garlic, and basil is a Mediterranean classic, but in Poland, fresh tomatoes reach exceptional sweetness in the summer — hence versions of this dish with Polish field tomatoes have been popular since the 20th century in summer homes.

Best for

szybki obiad dla rodziny letnia kolacja z gośćmi

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve immediately, preferably on warmed plates. The dish pairs well with young lettuce and a simple vinaigrette or grilled vegetables. For those who enjoy spicier flavors, add chili flakes when serving. Serve with dry white wine or a lightly sparkling cider.

🥡 Storage

Store the sauce and pasta separately in the fridge for up to 24 hours in an airtight container. To reheat, warm in a pan with 1–2 tablespoons of cooking water or oil, stirring to regain creaminess. Long-term storage with grated cheese on top is not recommended.

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