Spaghetti al sugo

Spaghetti al sugo for a spicier sauce

Spaghetti al sugo is an Italian dish and is different from what you know as spaghetti with tomato sauce. The sauce is spicy and very thick. This pasta sauce, which is almost a puree, is made without any thickening, but so reduced that it is red-brown in colour and on the point of "breaking" (curdling). It is this reduction which gives it its characteristic strong and piquant flavour. This sauce goes well with spaghetti. Spaghetti al sugo is an easy dish to make so do try it, if only for the new taste sensation.

Serves: 2

Ingredients for Spaghetti:

spaghetti (enough for 2 people)
1 tablespoon salt

Method:

1. Fill two-thirds of a large saucepan with cold water.

2. Add the salt.

3. Bring to the boil.

4. Lower the spaghetti into a large saucepan of the boiling salted water.

5. Stir once or twice with a wooden spoon.

6. Cook for about 10 minutes or according to the manufacturer's packet instructions. Spaghetti should be cooked to "al dente" not soft or overcooked in texture.

7. Quickly drain in a colander.

8. The spaghetti is then ready to have the tomato sauce added.

Ingredients for "al sugo" tomato sauce:

1 can plum tomatoes (chopped)
1 large onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1 oz butter or 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
1 wineglass stock
salt and pepper (to taste)
2 tablespoons of tomato puree
1/2 oz butter

Method:

1. Add tomatoes, onion, garlic and butter to a pan.

2. Add herbs and stock, season well, cover and cook to a pulp.

3. Rub through a strainer, return to the rinsed out pan and add a little tomato puree to strengthen the flavour.

4. Add butter.

5. Boil until thick, stirring frequently.

6. Add sauce to the spaghetti and mix well with two forks. There should be just enough sauce to coat the spaghetti.

7. Shake over heat until thoroughly hot, then dish up.

To discover more about Italian food visit the Italian Traditional Food webpage