Italians like filipino spaghetti history carbonara
I recall driving with my family to my Italian grandparents house for Sunday supper when I was about 11 years old. We stopped to pickup another auntie if you were a close friend but not blood related, you were called uncle or auntie. Auntie was Napolitan, like my grandmother, so they were great friends like sisters. Well, somewhere along the line the co.nversation turned to which canned tomatoes did we use Cento, Contadina, God forbid Hunts, which Autie proceeded to critique in infinitesimal detail, to the quantity of seeds, ski.ns, acid and then commented on how she would put sugar in her sauce to cut the acidity of the tomatoesโฆ Not my mother, not my grandparents NO RELATIVE EVER put sugar in the sauce a little wine, maybe some onions or shredded carrots to help sweeten but NEVER sugar! When we arrived at my aunts house, Auntie brought up the qution of sugar in the sauce again. A bloody brawl ensued between my Napolitan Nona, my Calabrese Papa, mother, Auntie and one of their invited Italian neighbors about the damn sugar in the sauce! Thats something only a Sicilian would do! Oh but you Calabrese are just as stunad! But no self respecting Napolitanโฆ You might as well go buy Ragu in the supermarketโฆ Where is your pride?! So my point here is NOT EVEN IN THE SAME VILLAGE OR THE SAME FAMILY DO THEY MAKE TOMATO Spaghetti SAUCE THE SAME! So Heres how I adapted what I co.nsider to be the be of all my Italian cooking influences into my version of the be Italian spaghetti sauce You will change it up accordingly thicker, thinner, with meat or chicken or olives or for your choice of pasta rigatoni, vermicelli, gnocchi, etcโฆ. I start with a clove or two of garlic, smashed a small onion is optional if you like. Saute in a tbs or 2 of EVO oil, add canned tomatoes if Im not using fresh which will be another post someday, I look for organic, peeled, seeded San Marzano tomatoes. Valarosso is my favorite, and I do like Muir Glens organic fire roasted variety for a quick sauce, but there are a couple of very good Italian brands that have come to market here in the States Sclafani comes to mind. I add anchovies or a little anchovy paste to the saute, a little tomato paste, and then a little red wine to slow the cooking and prevent scorching the rich umami flavors really develop here. I then add a 16 Oz can of tomatoes per 1 lb of pasta. You can use crushed or squeeze whole tomatoes with your hands before adding to the pot. Bring it up to heat for about 10 minutes, add some more wine up to about 1/2 a cup. then turn it to low and let it cook about another 20 minutes. Heres where you might want to add in some well browned lamb, pork, beef, sausage, braciola, chicken or meatballs for a hearty meat sauce. BTW If I am adding meats, I brown them first, then make the sauce in the same pot, using all those delicious drippings. I always add chopped fresh basil both while the sauce is cooking and again at the very end. When your meats are done they shouldnt take too long unless youre tenderizing tough cuts, turn off the heat, remove your meats and get your pasta going. In a large pot of boiling water, add 2 tbs sea salt and stir in your spaghetti keep stirring so the noodles dont stick forget that oil in the water trick as it really doesnt wor.k and your pasta wont marry with the sauce properly. Cook for about 7 8 minutes until just UNDER done. Save about a cup of pasta water in case your sauce needs some additional liquid. I like to take the spaghetti right from the pot and put it in the sauce to co.ntinue cooking for a couple minutes and allow the sauce to absorb and the flavors to marry. Add in some more fresh basil, a little fresh Italian parsley and mix it all up. Serve with grated or shaved Parmesan or Romano cheese, meats on the side, and BOOM! Youve got one helluva Italian spaghetti dinner!
