Tuscan-Style Spaghetti with Uncooked Tomato Sauce

Start the sauce for the spaghetti in the morning on the day you plan to eat it for supper. Core and peel the tomatoes, but leave on the skins if they don't slip off easily. Dipping tomatoes in boiling water dulls their flavor. Chop the tomatoes coarsely and put them with their juices in a nonmetallic bowl.

Smash the garlic cloves with the flat side of a large knife flavor and peel them. Add to the bowl along with the torn basil. Stir in the olive oil, coating the tomatoes well, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Leave at room temperature for 8 hours. Do not refrigerate.

In the evening, season the tomatoes with salt and freshly ground pepper. Remove some or all of the garlic cloves, if you wish. I always leave them in. Warm 4 pasta bowls in a slow oven (250 degrees F).

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the directions on the package until al dente, usually just over 10 minutes. Drain, reserving a few tablespoons of water. Return the spaghetti to the pot and toss with the reserved water. Divide among the warm bowls and ladle over the tomato sauce, mixing it in gently. The pasta will warm the sauce. Serve at once.