In all our tests, we tasted all of the tomatoes twice: once straight out of the can and heated through, and then again made into Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce. In doing so, we’ve encountered a huge range—from tomatoes that were sweet enough to eat straight out of the can to ones that carried a whiff of dead animal. We were also surprised to learn that price didn’t always correspond to quality. Once the garlic is golden, add the red pepper flakes, if using, and then immediately add the Mutti® Whole Peeled Tomatoes, crushing them between your fingers and letting them fall into the saucepan. Add the tomato juices from the can as well. Season with salt to taste. Having worked in the food and restaurant industry for a decade, I can tell you that no two brands of canned tomatoes are exactly alike. Some tomatoes are velvety, brilliantly red, and full of flavor, while others are tough, underripe, and insipid. To date, we’ve assessed over 25 different cans of whole peeled tomatoes—some with our colleagues at NYT Cooking—to find the best. San Marzano and DOP: These terms are sometimes conflated. San Marzano tomatoes, which are prized for their mellow flavor, can be grown anywhere. Certain San Marzano tomatoes are certified DOP, which guarantees that they’ve been grown, processed, and canned in a specific geographical zone in Italy. As our tests show, neither term is necessarily an indicator of flavor or quality.

Bring a large pot of the water to a boil for cooking the pasta. When the water is boiling, salt the water as salty as the sea, and add the spaghetti, and cook, stirring frequently with a long-handled fork, until al dente. Drain in a colander. If the tomato sauce has cooled completely, heat it gently.To make pasta pomodoro, start by heating the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Crush the garlic cloves with the heel of your hand. Add the crushed cloves to the oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is golden brown, about 5 minutes.