This super simple vegan fresh tomato and garlic spaghetti recipe comes from the coastal town of Maratea in Basilicata, Southern Italy. Spaghetti alla Maratea is a unique way to prepare an Italian classic!
The pasta condiment of fresh peeled tomatoes, garlic and olive oil simmers in a bain-marie (bagnomaria in Italian) until the tomatoes are slightly soft and infused with a garlicky flavor. The sauce is then tossed with cooked spaghetti and basil leaves.
Where is Maratea?
Maratea is located on the Tyrrhenian coast of Basilicata. This Southern region has two coastlines, a short one on the Tyrrhenian Sea and another on the Ionian Sea. Maratea is the only municipality in Basilicata on the Tyrrhenian coast. Known as ‘the pearl of the Tyrrhenian, this very ancient town is also called ‘the town of 44 churches’ because of the number of churches and chapels on its territory.
Food in Maratea.
The cuisine in Maratea is both typical of inland Basilicata and Southern Italian coastal areas. Local pasta dishes apart from this spaghetti alla Maratea, include orecchiette with broccoli rabe (cime di rapa), pasta with breadcrumbs and with Senise peppers, as well as pasta with sea urchins, baccalà and mixed seafood or shells.
Pasta in Basilicata.
In Basilicata, they also make a number of unique traditional pasta types such as raschiatelli, a local version of cavatelli, lagane (an ancient short pappardelle) and ferricelli which is made with a ferro. There are also types of pasta in this region that are typical of neighbouring Puglia too, such as orecchiette and the troccoli I used for this vegan tomato and garlic spaghetti alla Maratea.
Troccoli pasta.
As mentioned above I used troccoli pasta for this vegan pasta recipe. Troccoli is a thick square or oval cut spaghetti from Basilicata and Puglia. It’s often compared to spaghetti alla chitarra.
Originally Troccoli pasta was made with an ancient kitchen tool called a troccolo or trocclaturo. This is a grooved rolling pin which was first made of metal but later also hardwood. You can still find both versions available to buy nowadays.
Pasta for this spaghetti alla Maratea.
Obviously troccoli is not easy to find outside of Italy, but you can use spaghetti alla chitarra (homemade or store bought) or even normal thick spaghetti for your fresh tomato and garlic pasta from Basilicata. To make this recipe gluten free just use a gluten-free pasta. Plus, if you use a short pasta, this recipe would also make a tasty pasta salad.
Other ingredients.
Apart from the spaghetti, all you need for this vegan pasta dish is fresh tomatoes, garlic, sea salt, basil leaves and olive oil. Because there are so few ingredients, it’s important to use the best quality available for best results.
Tomatoes: You will need ripe vine or grape tomatoes for this recipe. Fresh deep red summer tomatoes will give the best result. I wouldn’t recommend canned whole plum tomatoes as they are already too soft.
Garlic: The number of garlic cloves you use depends on how garlicky you like your pasta. I used 2 cloves of garlic cut into slithers. You can use less or more.
Extra virgin olive oil: Because the condiment is only partly cooked, extra virgin olive oil contributes a large part of the flavor of this spaghetti recipe, so it’s important to use a good quality one.
Basil leaves: Fresh basil adds that typical Italian summer flavor that is characteristic of so many fresh tomato recipes here in Italy. I don’t recommend dried basil or other dry herbs. Alternative fresh herbs you can use are parsley or oregano.
Optional Ingredients
Peperoncino: a sprinkling of red pepper flakes (peperoncino) will add a slightly spicy flavor to this spaghetti recipe.
A unique cooking method.
This spaghetti alla Maratea calls for a rather unique way to prepare the condiment. The tomatoes, garlic and olive oil are warmed in a Bain Marie (Bagnomaria) until the tomatoes are slightly soft and infused with the garlic flavor. The result is somewhere between raw and cooked tomatoes. It’s really tasty and so worth trying!
Step by step instructions.
1) Wash the tomatoes and cut an ‘x’ into one area of the skin. Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water and then run them under cold water. Next peel them, remove the seeds and cut into pieces. Peel the garlic and cut each clove into slithers.
2) Put the prepared tomatoes into a heatproof bowl along with the garlic, olive oil and a pinch of salt. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and let it sit for about 15 minutes until the tomatoes warm and soften slightly. Stir occasionally.
3) Put a pot of water onto boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to a boil again. Cook the spaghetti al dente, drain it and add it to the bowl with the tomatoes. As you can see from my photos, I changed bowls to one that was big enough for the pasta.
4) Mix everything together and then allow the spaghetti and tomatoes to sit for 2-3 minutes over the Bain Marie. Serve immediately with fresh basil leaves and some freshly ground black pepper.
What to do with leftovers.
You can keep leftover fresh tomato and garlic spaghetti alla Maratea in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over a low-medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil.
Let me know what you think.
This easy vegan spaghetti recipe really has a lot of flavor even though it calls for simple ingredients. The unique cooking method really brings out the sweetness of the tomatoes. It makes a fabulous summer pasta and an easy weeknight dinner.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out and if you liked it. So, please leave a comment here on the blog or on The Pasta Project Facebook page.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Buon appetito!
Other vegan recipes to check out.
- Spaghetti all’assassina from Puglia
- Fregola with chickpeas from Sardinia
- Pasta caponata from Sicily
- Tuscan pici all’aglione (elephant garlic pasta)
- Umbrian lentil soup with pasta.
Vegan fresh tomato and garlic spaghetti alla Maratea
This super simple fresh tomato and garlic spaghetti recipe comes from the coastal town of Maratea in Basilicata, Southern Italy. The pasta condiment of fresh peeled tomatoes, garlic and olive oil simmers in a bain-marie (bagnomaria in Italian) until the tomatoes are slightly soft and infused with a garlicky flavor. The sauce is then tossed with cooked spaghetti and basil leaves. A unique way to prepare an Italian classic!
Equipment
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1 large pot to cook spaghetti
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1 heatproof bowl for Bain Marie
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1 pot to simmer water for Bain Marie
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1 chopping board
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1 sharp knife
Ingredients
- 13 ounces spaghetti or troccoli or spaghetti alla chitarra
- 1.5 pounds fresh vine or grape tomatoes summer tomatoes are best.
- 2-3 cloves garlic peeled and sliced
- 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
- salt to cook pasta and to taste
- freshly ground black pepper.
- 6-8 fresh basil leaves
Optional ingredients
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes (peperoncino)
Instructions
Prepare tomatoes and garlic.
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Wash the tomatoes and cut an ‘x’ into one area of the skin. Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water and then run them under cold water. Next peel them, remove the seeds and cut into pieces. Peel the garlic and cut each clove into slithers.
Make the condiment
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Place the prepared tomatoes into a heatproof bowl along with the garlic, olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and let it sit for about 15 minutes until the tomatoes warm and soften slightly. Stir occasionally.
Cook Pasta
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Put a pot of water onto boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to a boil again. Cook the spaghetti al dente, drain it and add it to the bowl with the tomatoes. As you can see from my photos, I changed bowls to one that was big enough for the pasta.
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Notes
For best results use fresh ripe summer tomatoes and a good quality extra virgin olive oil.
I used troccoli pasta but spaghetti alla chitarra or normal thick spaghetti are perfect too.
Nutrition
Calories: 469kcalCarbohydrates: 76gProtein: 14gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 23mgPotassium: 626mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1597IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 2mg
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