Golden Copper Tomato Sauce

Aren’t they beautiful? And that is just what I grabbed from my garden yesterday morning. Really. I decided to make some sauce with all those babies, and what a lovely thing it is. The color is a knockout. It’s not yellow. It’s not just orange, but a coppery orange that I love. I used a few heirloom tomatoes – Jubilee, Yellow Brandywine, Russian Orange, Mr. Stripey and Jaune Flamme. As I was chopping and seeding the tomatoes I was astounded at how juicy they were. And the juice was an absolutely glorious golden color. Summer rocks.

As you seed each tomato, hold it over a strainer suspended over a bowl to catch all the juice. It would be a crime to let it all go down the drain. And because there was so much juice it took my sauce a solid thirty minutes to reduce. What started out a light golden ended up the glorious deep color you see here. The very color. By the way, yes, those are Sungold tomatoes you see in the photo of the finished dish, and NO, I did not peel, seed or chop any of them. Not even one.

I call for 1/4 teaspoon peperoncino flakes. Although that does not sound like a lot, couple it with the warmth of the white pepper, and you’ve got a bit of heat. If you want a very mild sauce, use just a pinch.

Golden Copper Tomato Sauce with Spaghettini

makes 4 cups

This sauce is an enticing combination of sweet and spice, and it is a perfect match for spaghettini. Serve the pasta in a large bowl, toss with the sauce, and surround it with cut or quartered orange tomatoes. Top with basil and pass the Parmigiano.

5 pounds yellow or orange tomatoes, plus extra for garnish
1/4 cup olive oil
2 shallots, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon peperoncino flakes
kosher salt
white pepper
1/2 cup basil, cut in chiffonade
1 pound spaghettini

Peel, seed and chop 5 pounds tomatoes, reserving liquid. Set aside.

Pour olive oil into saute pan and heat over medium low. Add shallots, garlic, sugar and peperoncino flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Be sure you do not let the garlic or shallots brown. Do that and they’ll impart an unpleasant bitterness to your sauce.

Add tomatoes and their liquid along with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon white pepper. Increase heat to medium high and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching until sauce reaches the desired consistency. This may take up to thirty minutes depending on the amount of juice present. The finished sauce will have a slightly chunky consistency. If you prefer a smooth sauce, puree it in the food processor or blender, or my favorite, pass it through the medium disk of a food mill. Store in the refrigerator 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.

 
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