Noodles and Tomatoes
My grandmother started making this dish for us when we were kids. That was quite a few years ago! She once commented that she must have made a dump truck full of macaroni for us. I still make this -- it's comfort food for me. This is a very butter/tomatoey dish. It's not spicy and meant to be bland so that the creaminess of the butter, the tang of the tomatoes and the flavor of the pasta shine.
My grandmother started making this dish for us when we were kids. That was quite a few years ago! She once commented that she must have made a dump truck full of macaroni for us. I still make this -- it's comfort food for me. This is a very butter/tomatoey dish. It's not spicy and meant to be bland so that the creaminess of the butter, the tang of the tomatoes and the flavor of the pasta shine.
- Carbohydrate 0.03746828125 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.0018846875 g
- Fiber 0.0153203125 g
- Protein 0.00633046875 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0005665625 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving(s) (0g)
- Sodium 0.0254375 mg
- Sugar 0.02214796875 g
- Trans Fat 8.09375000000001E-05 g
- Calories 0 calories
Step-by-step
- Prepare the pasta according to pacakge directions and drain well.
- While the pasta is draining, melt the butter in the pasta pot.
- Add the pasta back to the pot, mix well.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, mix well and serve.
Controlling moisture is the deciding factor when combining pasta and canned tomatoes, as excess liquid will quickly break down the starch on the exterior of the noodles. Drain the cooked pasta in a colander for exactly two full minutes, shaking it periodically to eliminate trapped water before returning it to the warm pot. Melting two to three tablespoons of butter directly in the empty vessel coats the hot surface and creates a lipid barrier that protects the pasta from absorbing too much tomato moisture.
Freezing and Reheating Behavior
Storing this dish in the freezer requires specific adjustments because high-starch noodles tend to become spongy when thawed. Undercook the pasta by ninety seconds if planning to freeze the finished dish, halting the boiling process while the interior maintains a firm bite. Cool the mixture rapidly on a sheet pan before transferring it to airtight freezer-safe containers, where it will maintain acceptable quality for up to two months. Reheat frozen portions slowly in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently and adding one tablespoon of water per cup of pasta to reconstitute the emulsified butter and tomato sauce.
Second-Day Transformations
Refrigerated leftovers develop a denser texture as the pasta fully absorbs the remaining tomato compounds over a 24-hour storage window at 4 degrees Celsius. Revive chilled portions by pan-frying them in a skillet with a thin film of neutral oil until the bottom layer develops a crisp, golden-brown crust. Incorporating grated hard cheeses during this frying phase introduces proteins that bind the loose sauce elements back into a cohesive coating.
