Spaghetti supper

Spaghetti al pomodoro

Often when Italians get together for a meal they will wax lyrical about other meals they have eaten in other places. They will describe it all with passion and eloquence  and leave you feeling as though you were there too.

One of the most memorable descriptions I have heard was of someone eating Spaghetti al pomodoro in a trattoria overlooking the bay of Naples. I have never been there but it feels like I have.

This evening I had a longing for spaghetti al pomodoro, it always cheers me up, it's quick and easy and children love it too. Every Italian mamma has her own way of making it, some use garlic, celery,carrots and add vinegar, tomato puree, wine. They are all delicious. My favourite recipe comes from my Winnie- the -Pooh cookbook. It 's very simple and sometimes just what we want. I've been making it like this for forty years.

Serves 4

250g spaghetti

Olive oil or butter for frying

1 medium onion chopped finely

1 jar of best quality passata

Grated cheese for serving

Gently fry the chopped onion in the oil or butter until very soft but not brown.Add the passata and simmer gently while you bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Cook the spaghetti according to the instructions on the packet, then drain in  a colander. Return to the saucepand and pour over the tomato sauce. Using two forks, toss and turn the spaghetti so that it is nicely glazed with the hot tomato sauce.

Turn into a heated serving dish and top with grated cheese. Fresh basil goes well with this.

You can enjoy this thinking of the beautiful bay of Naples and imagining the sounds of the sea.

Simple ingredients for a simply delicious dish