3-4 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves
1 24(ish)-ounce jar or can of your favorite tomatoes
fresh basil (or dried if it is November and that is what you have)
a good pinch of salt
a teaspoon of sugar
1 pound dry spaghetti
In a saucepan heat the oil over moderate heat. Crush the garlic and add it to the pan. Let it cook, turning it over a few times. After a few minutes, add your tomatoes. Add your basil, salt, and sugar. 'These days there is a tendency to forget the sugar, but that is a mistake because it compensates for the acidity of the tomatoes.' (I have not added any sugar to the sauce yet, because with Halloween and such, we're already loaded to the gills with sugar. Maybe once the holidays are over and we are back to normal, I will add it. Because I do think she makes a fine point.) Let the sauce simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, giving it a nice stir occasionally. I always partially cover the pot with a lid, otherwise we've got sauce all over the stove-top, the walls, etc...
While you are waiting, bring a pot of water to boil. Add a tablespoon or so of salt, your spaghetti, and give it a stir. Cook for about 9 minutes, then drain. Combine the pasta and sauce in a bowl, give it a stir, and then serve with an enormous wedge of parmesan cheese at the table. (Recipe from In the Kitchen with Love, by Sophia Loren. Doubleday Publishers, 1972.)
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