Pasta with Tomatoes & Potatoes | Pasta del Brigadiere Recipe

Everyone has tried pasta with tomato sauce (of some sort), but have you ever seen an Italian tomato pasta that incorporates potatoes? That’s exactly what you’ll find in “Pasta del Brigadiere,” a recipe where a very simple tomato sauce is made a little more hardy with the addition of chopped potatoes. It’s perfect for those transitional autumn months when fresh tomatoes are still appealing but you want a dish that’s a little more filling as the days get colder.

Pasta with Tomatoes & Potatoes | Pasta del Brigadiere Recipe

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PASTA DEL BRIGADIERE RECIPE

Makes: 2 to 3 servings

Cook Time: 30 minutes

For this recipe, you will need:

• 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) extra-virgin olive oil

• ¼ large red onion, sliced

• 1 large russet potato, peeled and cubed

• 4 to 5 fresh basil leaves

• Salt

• Fresh black pepper

• 12 ounces (340 grams) cherry tomatoes, halved

• Chopped parsley, to taste, plus extra for topping

• 7.5 ounces (215 grams) spaghetti

  
  

Put a large pot of water on to boil for the pasta. While it heats up, heat the olive oil and sliced onion in a large pan over medium/low heat. Sauté the onion until tender—about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the cubed potato, basil, and a generous pinch of salt and black pepper. Ladle in enough of the warm pasta water to half-submerge the potatoes, bring it to a simmer, and let the potatoes cook until the water evaporates completely.

Once the water has evaporated, add the cherry tomatoes, parsley, and salt to taste. Ladle in a little more pasta water to maintain a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pan and let it simmer, stirring frequently, until the potatoes are tender and the tomatoes are very soft. As needed, add a little more water when necessary to keep the sauce simmering and to prevent it from burning. If the potatoes become tender before the pasta is finished cooking, turn off the heat and let the sauce rest.

While the sauce cooks, generously salt the boiling water and add the spaghetti. Cook as directed, but for 2 minutes less than the recommended “al dente” cook time. When the pasta is ready, transfer it into the sauce with a spaghetti fork or tongs.

Stir all together over medium/high heat until the pasta is al dente to your taste. If the sauce thickens too much, ladle in a little more pasta water as needed.

Serve immediately, topped with some extra fresh parsley.

Buon appetito!