Yield 4-5
While I was in Gragnano I had the great luck to not only visit the Pasta Gentile factory but to hang out in the kitchen with Mamma Maria, the matriarch of the Zampino family that owns the company. She prepared various pastas pastas for me to try. Naturally the sauces were simple, to bring out the pure taste of the pasta. My favorite was the Spaghettone she made with a simple tomato sauce. Spaghettone are Gentile's signature pasta, and is a toothsome thick strand of thick spaghetti measuring 2.7 millimeters in diameter . Since there are so few ingredients, the specific choice really does make a huge difference. For this sauce Mamma Maria, like most Italians, use canned pelati San Marzano tomatoes. She actually follows these tomatoes from seed to can, but if you can't manage that see the resources below for the real thing.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the pasta. While pasta cooks (if you are using spaghettone then it will take a while) make the sauce.
Pour the olive oil in a saute pan big enough to hold all of the drained, cooked pasta. Add the smashed garlic clove and the basil. After one minute add the canned tomatoes with their juice and salt. Turn heat to high and cooked quickly, using a wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes.
Taste and adjust for seasoning.
Drain the pasta when it is just short of al dente, retaining one cup of cooking water. Put the drained pasta into the pan with the sauce, and stir over medium heat to finish cooking, till al dente. If the sauce seems too dry, add a bit of reserved cooking water.
Serve garnished with fresh basil leaves and grated parmigiano reggiano on the side.
Recipe by Elizabeth Minchilli at https://www.elizabethminchilli.com/2018/11/making-pasta-in-gragnano/