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X Italian Pasta Dishes
Spaghetti all'Italiana (using olive oil, tomato paste and tomatoes)
Originated from: Italy
Occasion: Any time
Contributed by: Taken from "Specialita Culinarie Italiane" (Boston, 1937)

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Ingredients

1 pound spaghetti

For sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 onion
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup water
3 cups strained tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar

Fresh mushrooms (optional)
Chicken livers (optional)

Garnish
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese



Directions

Cook the chopped onion in the olive oil with the pepper.

Mix paste and water.

Add this to olive oil in three installments, cooking until well blended each time.

Add strained tomatoes, bay leaf and salt.

Cook 30 minutes.

Add sugar and cook 30 minutes longer.

Cook spaghetti in boiling salted water until tender.

Drain well, then pour sauce over it.

Sprinkle with cheese.

One half cup fresh mushrooms or chicken livers may be added to sauce.


Notes

This recipe was first published in the cookbook entitled, "Specialita Culinarie Italiane 137 Tested Recipes of Famous Italian Foods, Sold for the benefit of North Bennet's Industrial Training & Social Service Work in the North End of Boston." It was published in Boston, Ma. in 1937. The entire cookbook is available on line for free at "pds.lib.harvard.edu/pds/view." Image -- Berthe Morisot: "Sur le balcan," around 1871/72.

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