Elegant Tomato Spaghetti Sauce (with "secret ingredient")

This is an extremely simple every day sort of tomato based spaghetti sauce. In violation of the true Italian Chef's claim that the best sauces must be simmered for hours, we can cook this one in about 15 minutes and love it. Authentic Italian? Probably not. Delicious? Definitely!

Ingredients: (to serve 4)

2 Finely minced cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon (or more) dried basil
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup olive oil
1 14-15 ounce can of tomato sauce
1 14-15 ounce can of diced tomatoes
Ordinary sugar to taste (the "secret ingredient")
1 Pound spaghetti cooked al dente

Directions

In a medium sized sauce pan, add the oil and heat. Add the garlic, basil, onions and red pepper flakes and saute for about 3 mins. Add the canned tomatoes and tomato sauce and bring to simmering and cook for 10 mins. Now, it is time to taste and add sugar to taste (you have added enough sugar when the bitter or acid taste of tomato has mellowed).

Serve over cooked spaghetti and with a salad and a crusty baguette.

Spaghetti with Anchovi & Clam Sauce

This spaghetti recipe has become one of our favorites. We brought it to the last pot-luck of the Magdalena Mouths. Giving due credit, this recipe originally came to us in a 1971 edition of Craig Claiborne's New York Times International Cookbook.

Ingredients: to serve 4

1 small can of flat anchovies
1 cup of canned chopped sea clams (of course, you may use 2 doz fresh clams if they are available to you)
1 cup of clam juice (reserved from the fresh clams or clam juice available in bottles or cans
1/4 cup olive oil (preferably "extra virgin")
3 tablespoons of butter
3 cloves of finely minced garlic
2 shallots finely chopped- chopped onion will do nicely
1/4 cup finely chapped parsley - Italian Parsley if available
1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary
1/2 cup dry white wine
Freshly ground pepper
Salt- just a bit because the clams and anchovies are quite salty
1 Pound of angel hair spaghetti cooked al dente
Hot red pepper flakes to add to taste at the table

Directions

If using fresh clams, open the shells and remove the clams, reserving the juice in a small bowl. Coarsely chop the clams.
Heat the oil and butter in a skillet or fry pan and add the garlic and shallots or onions and cook until lightly browned. Add the anchovies including the oil they are canned with and stir until dissolved. Now add the parsley and clam juice and white wine and bring to a boil. Add ground pepper to taste and salt if you are using it. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the chopped clams and cook for 5 minutes.
Serve piping hot over freshly cooked spaghetti and serve with hot rep pepper flakes.
A simple tossed salad and fresh baguette completes the meal.

Please let us know how you like it.