I found this terrific, simple recipe in “The Italian
Vegetable Cookbook” by Michele Scicolone. With a few minor modifications, I present
it to you as a quick, delicious, healthy meal.
Why “Shoemaker’s” spaghetti? The theory is that the
shoemakers of Naples, with few ingredients and little time, were able to satisfy
their hunger and dine well by preparing this dish.
The sauce can be made with fresh or canned tomatoes. But
they key is the hot red pepper, cheeses, and fresh basil which lend it a creamy,
piquant, satisfying consistency. The pasta is cooked for the last few minutes
in the sauce requiring a large enough skillet to accommodate all ingredients.
Ingredients:
1 large clove garlic, halved
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Pinch of turmeric
Freshly grated black pepper
3 TBS EVOO
1 14-oz can tomatoes with their juices, or;
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
¼ cup water if using fresh tomatoes
A pinch of baking soda
12 oz. spaghetti (I prefer whole wheat)
½ cup reserved water from pasta pot
3 TBS freshly grated Pecorino Romano
3 TBS freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
4 fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
Method:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
In the meantime, in a skillet large enough to hold all ingredients,
cook the garlic, turmeric, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in the EVOO over
medium heat. Cook until the garlic is browned, about 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes (and water if fresh tomatoes) and bring to
a simmer. Crush tomatoes with the back of a spoon until sauce is thickened. Add baking soda and stir well (this will
remove acidity of the tomatoes). Cook until thickened, about 10 minutes.
Discard garlic.
Place pasta in boiling water. Cook until not quite al dente
(about 7 minutes). Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta.
Add the cheeses and pasta water to the sauce, stir well
until smooth. Add the pasta, tossing and mixing well. Cook, covered, for 2
minutes.
Top with basil and serve with a nice Chianti or your
favorite red wine.
Buon appetito!
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