Pasta brings a sense of comfort to any meal, and it is incredibly easy to whip up after a busy day at work. You do not need to make anything fancy; sometimes all you need is some well-cooked pasta and a simple tomato sauce.
However, if you are bored of plain tomato pasta sauces, recipe developer and cookbook author Eleanor Wilkinson recently shared the ingredient she uses to elevate the comfort food. In fact, it has been so transformative that she will never go back.
The Secret Ingredient
Eleanor's secret ingredient for elevating the simplest of tomato sauces is fresh vanilla beans scraped from the pod. In a recent TikTok video, Eleanor said: “This is the best tomato pasta I have ever made, and the secret ingredient is something everyone has in their kitchen but would never think to put in a savoury dish.”
When testing out a forkful of pasta, she said: “That is absolutely incredible. This is why I love food, this is why I love travelling, this is why I love learning new things, because I would have never thought to do this - and now I never want to do it a different way.”
Inspiration from Marcella Hazan
The recipe developer took inspiration from Marcella Hazan's three-ingredient pasta sauce recipe, which has often been dubbed the “best” and simplest pasta sauce you can make. Eleanor agreed that this recipe is “unbeaten”.
The only difference she makes is that on top of the main three ingredients of tinned tomatoes, onion and butter, Eleanor adds fresh vanilla. She explained: “This is something I learned at a vanilla farm in Mauritius. And if you did not know, vanilla is actually a spice, not inherently sweet.
“So whilst it seems strange, it actually adds something to the sauce that I have never tried or tasted before, and I am so excited for you to give it a go. It is delicious and interesting but still exceptionally easy.
“It is the sort of recipe that makes you feel like a professional chef, even if you are just cooking from your own kitchen.”
Reactions from Viewers
Eleanor's video has already been viewed over 7,827 times, receiving 388 likes and 13 comments at the time of writing. Laura said: “Ooooo that sounds so interesting, I must try!!”
Nell's Kitchen commented: “This is SO CLEVER.” Lilibet simply wrote, “Wild,” while Vince agreed, “Gotttta try this.”
Recipe: Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Vanilla
Ingredients
- One tin (400g) tomatoes (plum or cherry tomatoes are best)
- One onion, halved
- 50g butter
- One vanilla pod (or two tsp vanilla extract)
- Salt to taste
- Two portions of pasta of your choice
Method
- Add the tinned tomatoes, onion, butter and vanilla to a pan over a medium heat. Let it simmer for 40 to 45 minutes, adding a splash of water if needed.
- Taste and season with salt to your preference.
- Cook the pasta until just before al dente. Remove the onions from the sauce, then add the pasta to the pan along with a little pasta water.
- Stir and toss together, cooking for a final couple of minutes until the pasta is al dente.
So if you are looking for an innovative way to shake up your next homemade pasta sauce, this recipe is a must-try.
