Delikatessen kitchen | september 2025
ROASTED TOMATO SAUCE WITH PANCETTA AND HERBS
by Andre Lisowski, Delikatessen's Co-Founder and Head Designer
This sauce works beautifully with long dried pasta, like spaghetti or linguine. When we prepare it, we use lots of tomatoes from the garden in all colours. Feel free to experiment – there are no strict rules here, it is all about your creativity. Add more garlic for a stronger umami note, or use shallots or even simple onions, depending on what you have at home.
(Makes enough sauce for 900g dried pasta)
- 170 g thick-sliced pancetta, chopped (skip for a vegan version — highly recommended, it makes the sauce sweeter and more tomatoey)
– 15 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
– 2–3 kg ripe tomatoes (when you cut them in half, you can easily scoop out the seeds with the back of a spoon)
– 6–12 small shallots, or simply use smaller onions
– 8 cloves garlic
– 1 tablespoon (about 3 g) minced fresh rosemary leaves
– 1 tablespoon (about 3 g) fresh thyme leaves
– ¼ teaspoon (about 0.5 g) crushed hot red pepper flakes
–Dry oregano or sage can also be used if you have them — they make the taste even more complex
– 15 g minced fresh basil leaves (to add at the end)
– Salt and pepper to taste
3. Cut the tomatoes in half. Lightly oil a large roasting pan (lining it with baking paper makes cleanup easy) and arrange the tomatoes cut side up in a single layer.
4. Add the shallots (or onions) and garlic cloves between the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the rosemary, thyme, oregano, and chili flakes. Pour over the contents of the pancetta skillet.
5. Roast for 2–3 hours, until the tomatoes are well shrunk, reduced, and richly sweet. (If you prefer, lower the oven to 120 °C for the last hour.)
6. Let the mixture cool slightly. Chop the tomatoes and vegetables coarsely. (It’s best to discard the outer skins of the shallots and garlic before mixing them in.)
7. Stir in the fresh basil leaves. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
