Cuisine : Italy : Pasta

Travel Through Food - Italy: Spaghetti & Marinara

Don't have time or money to spend traveling the world? Then bring the world to you through food. Native cuisine is a quick and delicious way to learn about a new culture and community. The possibilities of travel through food are endless and you don't even have to pack a bag!

Today's journey takes us to Italy where we will create a traditional marinara sauce and fresh spaghetti noodles. Variations on the theme might include meatballs or sausage as well as different shaped pasta noodles. Top with freshly grated parmesan and serve with crusty garlic bread and you got a satisfying meal for any night of the week.

Let's set the mood for our Italian bistro. A red and white checked table cloth, decanted bottle of wine, simple centerpiece of taper candles and Italian music will have your family or guests saying "grazie" in no time!

The Sauce

Many Italian grandmothers have slaved over the stovetop perfecting their marinara, but it doesn't have to be an all day endeavor to create the same authentic taste. A few ingredients make up a simple but flavorful tomato sauce. Start with a heavy bottomed pot on medium low heat. Add one tablespoon olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot and one whole diced onion. Let the onion soften about 10 minutes. Add a good pinch of kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper and 3 or 4 diced garlic cloves. Don't let the garlic burn! Add in a tablespoon of crushed dried oregano, two tablespoons of tomato paste, a tablespoon of granulated sugar and one dried bay leaf. Add one 28-oz can of tomato puree and one 28-oz can of whole canned tomatoes, San Marzano if you can get them. There are several methods of breaking down the whole tomatoes - crush them by hand before adding to the pot or mash with a potato masher once in the pot.

Bring to a simmer then turn down the heat to low and cover. The sauce can cook for as little as 20 minutes or a couple hours depending on your schedule. Tasting is key throughout the cooking process. If you sauce is too tangy add a little more sugar. Also check for salt content and add more if necessary.

If you want rustic (chunky) sauce then add a handful of fresh basil leaves (torn or chopped) plus a handful of chopped Italian parsley and you're done! If you want a smooth sauce then use a stick blender or bar blender - just make sure you take the bay leaf out before blending! Then add your fresh herbs.

The Pasta

Nothing beats fresh pasta noodles and they are quite simple to make if you have the right equipment. A stand mixer with a dough hook and a pasta attachment is ideal. However you can also hand knead the dough and use a pasta roller to make the noodles. The basic dough consists of 3 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour and 4 large or extra large eggs. If using a stand mixer, combine eggs and flour (about a cup at a time) and mix until thoroughly incorporated. If mixing by hand, make a well in the center of your flour, mix the eggs with a fork and gently incorporate the flour into the eggs. Once incorporated knead gently for a minute then use a dough scraper to pick up and re-incorporate any bits left on your rolling surface. Flour the surface and need for 5 more minutes.

Once dough has been kneaded, wrap in plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes. Once your dough has rested, separate into four pieces to put through the pasta roller. Once your sheets are thin enough, change the roller to the spaghetti cutter and feed your sheets through. Set pasta on a drying rack to prevent noodles from clumping together.

The Add Ons

Once your sauce is simmering and your noodles are cut, it's time to gather the "accessories" to your meal. Grate fresh parmesan cheese (parmigiano-reggiano if you can get it) and set aside for topping your spaghetti. Make your garlic bread by crushing two cloves of garlic in a garlic press and add to softened butter. Spread onto a sliced Italian peasant loaf or French bread. Toast under the broiler and make sure not to burn the bread! Decant a bottle of Chianti or Barolo.

Bringing It Together

Fresh pasta cooks quickly so you want to make sure everything is ready before you send your noodles into the pool. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add a good handful of kosher salt. Use a lot as this is the only time to season the noodles. Don't add salt before your water boils or you'll scar the bottom of your pot. Cook the noodles until they are "al dente" meaning they have a little bite left to them in the center. They should not be mushy! Drain noodles easily with a pasta pot.

Add a ladle full of sauce to the bottom of your serving dish, add cooked pasta and then top with more sauce. Gently toss, top with parmesan and you're ready to eat. Mangia!

TIP: GiftStashers, create a registry called Italian Food and save choices there until you're ready to buy.