This is a bit of an unconventional recipe in that it has an Italian vibe – but we might be flogged by the Italians if we call it authentic! It’s our take on a tomato and vodka sauce – given a silky finish with mascarpone. And we’ve thrown in some odd ingredients – for a reason.
Barley malt extract is less sweet than sugar (often added to tomato sauces). When you have really good ripe tomatoes, you don’t need to be heavy-handed with sugar. The natural glutamates in the extract latch onto tomatoes and somehow make them taste even more of themselves.
And as for yeast flakes? They take the umami level up another notch, meaning you’ll need to add less salt at the end. Leave them out if you like, they’re not essential, but we think they really do dial up the flavours here.
We’ve used Great British Food Award-winning Isle of Wight Tomatoes, which really are bursts of sunshine. Not only do they look stunning, but the island’s fertile soils and microclimate give the fruits a sensational flavour.
A couple of notes. Don’t be tempted to season the sauce until the end (this is the case with all sauces). The sauce will reduce as it cooks and seasoning it at the start risks it becoming too salty. And don’t chop the basil – it ruins its fragrance and pepperiness. Tear it with your hands.
We think this is the perfect summer lunch with crusty bread and salad.
Ingredients (serves 4-6)
- 750g heritage tomatoes (as many colours as you can get)
- 3 tbsps malt extract (or 1 large tbsp sugar)
- 3 tbsps yeast flakes (optional)
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 200ml vodka
- 1 bulb garlic
- 500g pasta (a nice shape, not spaghetti or linguine)
- 1 tub mascarpone
- 1 red chilli, finely chopped
To serve:
- Large handful fresh basil
- Grated Parmesan
- Seasoning
Method
1. Set the oven to 200C.
2. Take the stalks off the tomatoes and place them in a large casserole dish.
3. Add the tomatoes to the dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Add the barley extract or sugar, yeast flakes, thyme, rosemary, vodka and garlic.
4. Pop in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the tomatoes are collapsing. In the meantime, cook and drain your pasta and set aside.
5. At the oven, spoon in the mascarpone, and sprinkle over the red chilli. Add the cooked pasta. Stir everything together, turn the oven down to 180C and bake for another 10 minutes so the flavours can marry. You might want to add a little extra olive oil at this stage too.
6. Once the time is up, remove the garlic cloves from their skins and crush into the sauce. Taste for seasoning, and rip in the basil, reserving a little for garnishing.
7. Finish with fresh Parmesan and a few basil leaves.
