Did you know that Italian cuisine is a candidate to become a UNESCO heritage? We’re awaiting the outcome in December 2025, keeping our fingers crossed. Among its merits are certainly spaghetti with tomato sauce, one of the country’s most representative dishes – seemingly very simple, but we guarantee that perfection is difficult to achieve. Here we offer you the recipe by Gennaro Esposito, one of the stars of haute cuisine with two Michelin stars at his restaurant Torre del Saracino in Vico Equense. If you follow his advice step by step, you’ll prepare a dish that will make you happy and transport your thoughts straight to the Sorrento Coast and Italian tables.

The Recipe (for one serving)

INGREDIENTS

80g De Cecco spaghetti
100g Corbarino tomatoes (Gennaro Esposito)
100g Piennolo tomatoes (Gennaro Esposito)
10g onion
2 garlic cloves
Fine salt, to taste
Coarse salt, to taste
Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
Fresh basil, to taste

PREPARATION

First, prepare a sauté by gently frying the onion and garlic in a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Once golden, add the basil leaves and let them cook for a few seconds—this enhances the sauce with a balsamic note. Be careful not to overcook the basil, as it could release bitter flavors. Remove the basil with tweezers and add the Corbarino tomatoes, cooking them slowly for 10–15 minutes without breaking them. After this initial cooking, gently press the tomatoes with a spoon to release their freshness.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil, season with salt, and cook the spaghetti until al dente. Drain and toss the pasta in the pan with the sauce for about a minute, allowing the flavors to meld. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, then add hand-torn basil off the heat for a burst of fresh aroma.

Plate and finish with a final touch of raw olive oil. Buon appetito!