Bucatini alla Marinara

INGREDIENTS

Pasta:

• Bucatini (any thickness)

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup good olive oil

• 1/2 cup chopped white onion

• 1/2 cup white wine

• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar

• 28 oz of whole or blended San Marzano tomato (crush by hand if not blended)

• 2 tsp ground black pepper

• 2 pinches Kosher salt

To Finish In the Pan:

• 2 tbsp EVOO

• 1 tsp chopped garlic

Garnishing:

• 2 tbsp of EVOO

• 1/4 cup of grated pecorino Romano cheese

DIRECTIONS

Start by blanching your pasta to al dente. Save at least 1 cup of the pasta water before draining to be incorporated during the finishing of the dish. Strain pasta, and either keep in the colander or spread out on a sheet pan, tossing with some olive oil to coat it.

Using a Dutch oven or wide pot, add the olive oil to the non-heated, pan, then turn on to high heat. When the oil becomes hot enough, add the onions and keep them sweating (not too high to brown, but not too low). Add two pinches salt. After 4 min they should be translucent with frequent stirring.

Once the onions are sweated, carefully add the white wine (off of the heat, as to not catch the flame) and reduce the liquid by half.

Add sherry, then reduce that liquid by half again.

Then add the crushed or blended tomatoes to the pot, stir carefully. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a medium-low simmer, stirring every 5 minutes. Cook down by 1/4 volume, leaving you with 3/4 of the sauce you started with. Taste, taste, taste and adjust if pepper or salt are needed or desired.

That sauce will hold for 1 week in the fridge and indefinitely in the freezer.

When preparing to make the dish, start with a medium sized sauté pan. Add EVOO, and chopped garlic, and sauté until golden brown. Pull off the heat. Add 8 oz. of marinara sauce, plus 8 oz. of pasta water or tap water.

Bring sauce to a boil and add al dente pasta. Keep the pan on high heat, gently flipping and tossing the pasta to mix with the sauce while the sauce reduces. Taste the sauce. When it is balanced in flavor but also seems to coat the pasta well it is done. For garnish, drizzle olive oil and add grated Pecorino Romano cheese before serving. Enjoy.