Rigatoni al Filetto di Pomodoro: Easy Sac’s Place Recipe

A simple pasta dish, Rigatoni al Fileto di Pomodoro, served at Sac’s Place in Astoria, Queens, was a favorite of the late singer Tony Bennett. The dish, featuring rigatoni pasta with a fresh tomato sauce, became a regular order for Bennett during his visits to the neighborhood establishment.

Sac’s Place, a family-owned Italian restaurant, has been a fixture in Astoria for decades, known for its classic Italian cuisine. According to Domenico Sacramone, the owner of Sac’s Place, Bennett frequented the restaurant, often enjoying the pasta alongside a glass of the house red wine while listening to a friend, Angelo Ferraro, play drums with the jazz band.

The recipe for Rigatoni al Fileto di Pomodoro, translating to tomato fillet or chopped tomatoes, is relatively straightforward. It begins with sautéing garlic in olive oil, then adding crushed tomatoes, seasonings, and simmering the sauce. The pasta is cooked separately and then served with the tomato sauce, parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and a sprinkle of ground pepper.

The dish calls for 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, 2 cloves of smashed garlic, 28 ounces of whole San Marzano tomatoes, 1 teaspoon of minced chives, 1 teaspoon of dried parsley, and ¼ teaspoon of onion powder. For the topping, the recipe recommends ¼ cup of torn fresh basil, 1 tablespoon of minced fresh parsley, and 2 ounces of grated parmesan cheese. The pasta requires 8 ounces of dry rigatoni and 6 cups of boiling, heavily salted water.

Unlike more elaborate Sunday sauces, this pomodoro dish can be prepared in approximately 30 minutes. The recipe involves heating olive oil in a large skillet, adding salt and garlic, and then incorporating hand-crushed tomatoes with juices, parsley, onion powder, and chives. The sauce is then covered and simmered on low heat while the pasta cooks.

Bennett’s preference for the dish, described as embodying the essence of home-cooked Italian cuisine, highlights a preference for simple, comforting meals even for a world-renowned performer. Sacramone noted that the house wine “usually sufficed” for Bennett, emphasizing the unpretentious nature of his visits.