Few ingredients capture the essence of summer better than the tomato. At the season’s peak, they’re rich, juicy, and full of sunshine. This is the moment to enjoy them at their best – with simplicity, restraint, and respect for their natural flavor.
One of the purest ways to celebrate tomatoes is with an almost raw sauce. Unlike a long-simmered marinara, this version is just kissed with heat. It’s bright, clean, and tastes like fresh-picked tomatoes straight from the garden.
The method is as simple as it gets. Garlic is gently warmed in olive oil to infuse it with flavor, then removed. Ripe tomatoes are peeled and passed through a food mill to create a silky purée free of seeds and skins. The tomato is folded into the warm garlic oil, seasoned with sea salt, and finished with torn basil leaves. The sauce is never reduced or simmered – it stays vibrant, fresh, and true to the tomato.
This sauce is wonderfully versatile. Serve it with grilled fish or chicken, spoon it over roasted vegetables, or enjoy it simply with bread. And of course, it’s perfect for pasta. Whether tossed with dried pasta from the pantry or fresh pasta – like the kind you can buy by the pound at Grandpa Mac, the family-owned fast-casual spot on Route 1 – this sauce clings beautifully to every shape, from long strands of spaghetti to ridged penne.
It’s a taste of summer on a plate, reminding us that sometimes the simplest dishes are the most special. That simplicity means ingredients matter: Use the best tomatoes you can buy or grow, a really great olive oil, flaky sea salt, and the freshest basil you can find.
RECIPE
FRESH, ALMOST RAW TOMATO SAUCE
Servings: About 2 cups of sauce | Time: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 large ripe tomatoes (about 500–550 g)
- 2–3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, lightly crushed, skin removed
- 3–4 fresh basil leaves, torn
- Fine sea salt, to taste
METHOD:
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Score a small “X” on the bottom of each tomato and blanch for 15–20 seconds. Plunge into ice water and slip off the skins.
Cut into chunks and pass through a food mill to remove seeds and skins, collecting the purée in a bowl.
In a small skillet, gently warm olive oil with the garlic clove until fragrant, about 1–2 minutes. Remove and discard the garlic.
Add the tomato purée to the garlic oil. Warm gently over low heat or in a double boiler just until the chill is gone. Do not boil.
Season with salt to taste and stir in the torn basil leaves.
Serve immediately over your favorite pasta – fresh or dried, long or short.
