Paccheri Alla Vittorio

Method

1. Cut the large tomatoes into chunks; leave the small tomatoes (datterini, cherry, etc.) whole.
2. In a pot, add a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil to cover the bottom. Crush 2 garlic cloves and sauté until golden.
3. Add the large tomato chunks, season with salt, and stir. The salt will help extract the tomato juices.
4. Add the small whole tomatoes, cover the pot, and cook on very low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. After 45 minutes, adjust salt to taste. Transfer the mixture to a tall glass and blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
6. Pass the blended sauce through a fine sieve to remove skins, seeds, and fibres, obtaining a silky sauce. Discard the solids.
7. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the paccheri pasta for 1 minute 30 seconds less than the package instructions.
8. In a large pan over high heat, add the drained pasta and a knob of butter (30–40 g). Stir until the butter melts and coats the pasta.
9. Once the butter has melted and the pasta is glistening, add some of the tomato sauce. Turn off the heat absolutely.
10. Toss the pasta gently with the sauce using a spoon or by shaking the pan (never over heat). The residual heat is enough to finish the mantecatura.
11. Add torn fresh basil leaves and a generous sprinkle of black pepper.
12. Add the Parmesan cheese (not aged more than 20 months) and toss until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes creamy.
13. If needed, add a little more warm sauce to reach the desired consistency. Toss well.
14. Plate the pasta, topping with a final spoonful of sauce and a basil leaf.