Spaghetti Aglio Olio
and Tomato Sauce Recipe

by Paul
(United States)

I love your web site! It is so nice of you to share your knowledge this way.

A friend used to make Spaghetti Aglio e Olio for a bunch of us every few weeks.

His name was Santo. He used to play the part of Christopher Columbus at the annual Columbus Day parade in Hartford, Connecticut in the New England.

Unfortunately, he was a heavy smoker and tied at much too young an age.

He used fresh garlic, crushed, dried basil leaves, sliced onions and mushrooms, all cooked in virgin olive oil and served with pecorino romano cheese. It was delicious!

I make it myself now, and although it is very good, it lacks some of the flavor he instilled.

My cousin's husband was born in Roma, and his parents came to this country when he was a child. He told me to use fresh basil. He adds zucchini instead of mushrooms, which is also good.

I was looking for a homemade tomato sauce when I came upon you web-site. A lady I spoke to in the store said she always uses canned tomatoes of a certain brand, something like Califano.

She browns crushed garlic in olive oil, adds basil leaves, then squeezes the canned tomatoes with her hand and adds them to the sauce.

As best I can remember, she simmers it for a long time, then adds some tomato paste.

Thank you so much.

Sincerely,
Paul