Spaghetti al Pomodoro

Note: When I heard Audrey’s son, Sean Hepburn Ferrer, had released a book about his mother, I couldn’t wait to give it a read. An Elegant Spirit includes a recipe for what Ferrer says was his mum’s favourite dish, Spaghetti al Pomodoro. It’s a fairly standard tomato sauce recipe, with the exception of the cooking time: Ferrrer says to simmer the sauce on low for about 45 minutes before eating. In my opinion, the best and most authentic-tasting tomato sauces are always cooked for a long time, so I’m taking this as proof Audrey knew what she was doing in the kitchen. Just another thing to love about her! My recipe for Spaghetti al Pomodoro is very similar to Audrey’s but with a few adjustments and additions. The recipe is so simple you don’t even need to chop up the tomatoes. They should fall apart as the sauce cooks.

1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Lightly cut a small cross on both ends of each Roma tomato, then briefly boil them until the skins start to peel away from the flesh of the tomatoes. Remove them from the water using a slotted spoon and place on a plate. Wait for the tomatoes to cool and then peel them and discard the skins.

2. Mix together the tomatoes, onion, garlic, carrot, celery, olive oil, sugar and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer on a low heat for at least 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Serve over al dente pasta, with lots of cheese and the chopped basil.