What's for Dinner? Fresh Tomato Sauce with Pancetta over Pappardelle!

Yesterday, when I made my gazpacho, I went ahead and prepped all the rest of my fresh, garden tomatoes for this sauce that I was making tonight.  It is such a simple, fresh sauce that tastes almost as good if you use a good quality, San Marzano canned tomatoes than if you use fresh tomatoes (but you didn't hear me say that!). If you use fresh tomatoes, you need to core them, cut an "x" in the bottom and drop them in boiling salted water.  Let them blanch for a few seconds (15-30) and remove from boiling water.  Let cool and peel off skin.

Now for the pasta.  I have discovered this dry pasta that I am in love with.  It is Cipriani Extra Thin Pappardelle and it is amazing.  It tastes ALMOST like fresh pasta.  Now, it is very pricey.  At the Teet, an 8 oz box is $7.99.  I KNOW!  It is expensive, but, in my eyes it is so worth it. When you think that it serves 4-5, that is less than $2 per serving of pasta.  You'd pay way more at a restaurant, and it is better! Ok, so enough about that.  If you can't stomach the price, fine...just use a regular old dried pasta.  Be that way.

I hope you make this sauce...with or without fresh tomatoes and with or without the best pasta ever!  :) It is such a simple, flavorful sauce--it has become a Sullivan house standard. Buon appetito!

Fresh Tomato Sauce with Pancetta
over Pappardelle
Serves 4-5

1 TBSP olive oil
6 oz, pancetta, finely diced
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced

2 lbs of fresh tomatoes, cored, blanched and peeled OR 1, 28 oz can San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste
10 leaves fresh basil, rolled and cut in a chiffonade
8 oz Cipriani Pappardelle, or other dried pasta


In a large sauce pan over medium heat, add olive oil and saute pancetta for 5 minutes, until it starts to brown.  Add onion and saute until soft.  Add garlic and saute 1 minute more.  With your hands, squeeze tomatoes into the pan, breaking them up (do this whether using fresh or canned).  Add all sauce from fresh tomatoes or canned tomatoes.  Simmer for 10 minutes, further breaking up tomatoes to desired chunkiness with a wooden spoon. 

Boil pot of water and add pasta.  Cook to directions and drain.


Add red pepper to sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer 10 more minutes.  Right before serving, add fresh basil and stir. Serve over pasta and top with grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.  Enjoy!


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