This recipe is incredibly simple, quick and delicious – especially this time of year when locally grown and homegrown tomatoes are available. I used to think making tomato sauce from scratch was a difficult or time-consuming task until I actually tried it. Once you briefly boil the tomatoes the skin peels right off, and then the rest of this delicious meal is a cinch. Even my girls, who normally don’t go for tomatoes or prosciutto, scarf this dinner down as fast as they can. And in case you haven’t heard tomatoes are technically a fruit so we like to serve this dish with a side of veggies such as lightly sautéed summer squash.
Before we dive right into the recipe though I am excited to announce a “100 Days of Real Food” sponsor! The Fresh 20 is an online company that was started by a fellow mom, Melissa, in late 2009. It is a service that provides subscribers with weekly menu plans made entirely with fresh ingredients. Nothing’s processed. Nothing’s frozen. Just 20 fresh ingredients used to create 5 delicious and simple weeknight dinners. And in addition to the “classic” meal plans that the company started with,
they now offer “gluten-free” and “vegetarian” options as well. If you are looking for some weekly “real food” dinner inspiration consider trying out The Fresh 20…it’s only $5 a month! Visit their website to find out more: http://www.thefresh20.com/
If you are also interested in sponsoring what we do here at “100 Days of Real Food” then check out the sponsorship page under the “about” tab for more info. Lastly, check out my nationally syndicated newspaper article, “Surviving without processed food,” that ran in some of today’s papers including the Miami Herald. If you like it please click “like” next to the article title. I thank you in advance for your support!
Simple Spaghetti
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Italian Cookbook
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 yellow onion
- 1/4 lb (4 oz) prosciutto or pancetta, preferably locally raised
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 10 ripe tomatoes, preferably locally grown
- 1/2 lb whole-wheat spaghetti (or penne, rigatoni, macaroni, etc.) noodles
- Parmesan cheese and basil leaves for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Set a large pot of water over high heat.
- Dice the onion and proscuitto.
- Once the water starts boiling add the tomatoes, 2 or 3 at a time, for about 1 minute each. Remove tomatoes with a slotted spoon and let them cool on a large cutting board. Add your dry pasta to the same pot of boiling water to cook following directions on package for timing.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high and add the olive oil.
- Once the oil heats up, add the diced proscuitto, onion, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes.
- Meanwhile peel, seed and chop the tomatoes. With a dull knife score the skin on each tomato and then peel it right off. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and gently squeeze each one over a bowl to get the seeds out. It is okay if there are still a few seeds left in there. Cut out top of core/stem. Roughly chop into pieces and add to the onion/proscuitto mixture.
- Cook and mash tomato mixture with the back of a wooden or cooking spoon until slightly thickened, about 6 – 10 minutes.
- Pour sauce over well-drained pasta, garnish with Parmesan and/or fresh basil, and voila! A delicious and very quick “real food” meal.
Yield: 4 servings
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Yummy! Did you know that squash is technically a fruit too? Anything that’s a reproductive part of the plant is a fruit
Apparently not! Wow, learn something new every day.
We just learned this in homeschool. Fruit is anything that holds seeds – many “vegetables” in that category!
Oh my!! I’m going to HAVE to try this one!!
I have local tomatos in the freezer waiting and will have fresh ones when we get home!! Should also have Zuchinni, how do you prepare it? My boys have never had it, so need to make it kid friendly. I am def going to chack out the sponser site too
Maggie – I am working on a zucchini recipe that would be a great “first impression” for kids. It is breaded then sauteed. Hope to post it later this week or next!
Can’t wait to try this one. My tomatoes are starting to ripen up. May head to the farm market this weekend to supplement though, so I can start now! Thanks Lisa for another great idea.
I always wanted to know how to make “real” spaghetti sauce! Thanks!
Where do you buy local prociutto in CLT? I have given up on all of my favorite italian recipes!
We get it from Grateful Grower’s Farm at the Matthew’s Farmers Market on Saturday. They sell at a couple of other markets as well. They’ve had plenty of prosciutto these last two weekends, but sometimes they run out so it never hurts to email them in advance and “reserve” what you need! http://www.ggfarm.com/
Make spaghetti squash. Delicious!!!!
That looks delicious, and your new sponsor looks fantastic!! What a great company to be able to support ~ and I bet it would make my life a LOT easier!
Spaghetti is an ultimate comfort food for me. I ate it sooooo much growing up, and I still love it.
I just signed up for 3 months of the Fresh 20. It looks amazing so far! I’m hoping that this will provide some inspiration as well as simplify the menu-planning process a bit. Between this and the menu-plans and recipes that you provide, I feel a little less stressed about coming up with a weekly plan. Why is that part of homemaking so hard for some of us!?
I live in High Point, so I love that when you have seasonal items in your recipes, they’re also always in season for me. 
Thanks again for all your hard work, helpful tools, and wonderful ideas!
I love the fresh20! I have been using their menus for about 3 months now, and it is well worth it. I really can feed my family of four great dinners, and almost alway organic & local, for $75/wk. My only grocery shopping downfall is with the other meals… but now I’m using your site for some inspiration with that.
What brand of spaghetti noodle do you use and where do you find it?
Looking for something with a simple list of real food ingredients.
I just buy the store brand whole-wheat organic pasta. Whole-grain noodles are fortunately one of the easier things to find in the store. I’ve even seen whole-wheat noodles at Target (although they aren’t organic). Either way they should only have one ingredient!
Can’t wait to give this one a try. Was told long ago to plant the basil with the tomato plants and it’s always worked like a charm.
Congratulations on your sponsorship!
p.s. Since the bee population is alarmingly low I was told by “an old-timer” to very gently “tickle” the flowers with a q-tip to pollinate. Since I haven’t seen many bees in the garden this year, I’ll be giving this a try.
Best health always.
Made this tonight. I’m quoting my 20-year-old…”mom, this may be the best pasta I’ve ever had in my life”. Thanks Lisa for another great recipe!
Well that might just be the best recipe review I’ve ever had!
Congratulations on your sponsorship ~ and while I have been loving your downloadable meal plans, I’ve gotta say the Fresh 20 is exactly what I have been needing to enjoy increased success in our transition to more “real food!” Thanks for always connecting your readers to trusted resources.
I am so glad you like The Fresh 20…I agree it is a great concept!!
We just put those tomatoes directly into the Vitamix blender after cooking and they puree beautifully, skin, seeds and all. I will also add Kale, squash, okra, or whatever other veggies are growing in my garden to the mix and you can’t even taste the addition. I love my Vitamix for real food cooking. We also puree spinach and carrots (cooked or raw) and add them to nearly every recipe we make to sneak a few more veggies into our kids diet.
I love your blog–thanks for sharing.
If you’re in a pinch or it’s the dead of winter and you can’t find quality tomatoes, can you use Muir Glen Organic whole tomatoes instead? Also – I didn’t know cheese was a “real” food! Always thought it was processed (Thanks Kraft! LOL)
May I substitute canned tomatoes for fresh tomatoes in the spaghetti sauce? If so, how many ounces?
Thanks so much!
Ashley
Ashley – I am sure that would work just fine…I would try using 2 1/2 cups of canned roma tomatoes.
Just made this for dinner tonight…all I can say is FANTASTIC! My family and I loved it…even my picky 12 year old
)
I can curious as to your thoughts on making your own pasta? Is it necessary?
No, it is not necessary. You can find lots of 1-ingredient whole-grain pastas (even organic ones) at the grocery store BUT I do think homemade pasta tastes a lot better and if you like to cook it is fun to make! Just my personal preference though
This was amazing! Yesterday was the first day on this journey to a new lifestyle and today I made this recipe my husband hates tomatoes with a passion, but he ate two plates down before I could finish one. the only thing I did different was I added two garlic cloves but that is because we are all garlic lovers. Thank you for all the awesome information to make everything easier.
TIP: If you freeze your tomatoes and then soak in cold water the skins come right off, no boiling and they are easier to chop up when still slightly frozen. Simply slice an “x” in the bottom of the tomatoe so the skin is split before freezing, just like when you blanch them.