Kelly has always loved spaghetti. She can eat it 3 times a day, for days on end. Sometimes she likes it with just Parmesan, sometimes marinara sauce and occasionally with pesto. In the mix of English, Irish, German & Italian ancestry, Kelly definitely got the Italian food genes.

Shortly before Kelly was born, the children’s book Daddy Makes the Best Spaghetti by Anna Grossnickle Hines came out. In the book, the father is very involved in the raising of his little boy, making spaghetti for dinner and turning routine activities into games. The mother is the less impulsive parent (or is that the more compulsive parent?) and gets to do the cleaning up after dinner. Kelly loved this book & Eric read it to her (& eventually to Andrew, also) thousands of times. I’m sure part of the attraction of the book was how closely it mirrored our own family dynamics.

Kelly having some spaghetti at around 18 months old.

Kelly still thinks her daddy makes the best spaghetti. Especially when he makes her a special sauce like this one with bacon to go along with that spaghetti.

Spaghetti all’Amatriciana  (from saveur.com) Serves 4-6

Cook time: about 3 hours

INGREDIENTS:

12 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ¼” strips
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt, to taste
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig sage
2 tablespoons red wine
1 28-ounce can whole, peeled tomatoes in juice, crushed by hand
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 teaspoons crushed red chile flakes
1 pound dried spaghetti
Finely grated Parmesan, to garnish
Thinly sliced parsley, to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat the bacon in a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat, and cook until the fat renders and the bacon is crisp, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain, then set it aside.

Cook the bacon until the white fat turns to grease.

Add the butter to the pan, then add the carrots and onion. Season with salt and cook, stirring, until the veggies are soft, about 6 minutes.

Saute the onion & carrots.

Add 2 cloves of the garlic, the rosemary and sage and cook, stirring, until the herbs are fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until it is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the sauce, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until it is reduced and thickened, about 2 hours. Remove and discard the rosemary and sage stems.

Simmer the sauce for a few hours to reach the perfect consistency.

Using a wand blender, puree the sauce to a smooth consistency. Stir in ¾ of the reserved bacon, along with remaining garlic, oil, pepper and chile flakes. Keep the sauce warm until it is served.

Blend the sauce.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and add the spaghetti. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and transfer it to a serving bowl. Serve the pasta with the sauce on top and garnish each serving with the remaining reserved bacon, Parmesan and parsley, if desired.

Better than plain marinara!

This sauce isn’t quick, but it is worth the time it takes!  ~Linda 

Spaghetti all’Amatriciana  (from saveur.com)

SERVES 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

12 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ¼” strips
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt, to taste
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig sage
2 tablespoons red wine
1 28-ounce can whole, peeled tomatoes in juice, crushed by hand
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 teaspoons crushed red chile flakes
1 pound dried spaghetti
Finely grated Parmesan, to garnish
Thinly sliced parsley, to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat the bacon in a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat, and cook until the fat renders and the bacon is crisp, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain then set it aside. Add the butter to the pan, then add the carrots and onion. Season with salt and cook, stirring, until the veggies are soft, about 6 minutes. Add 2 cloves of the garlic, the rosemary and sage and cook, stirring, until the herbs are fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until it is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the sauce, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until it is reduced and thickened, about 2 hours. Remove and discard the rosemary and sage stems. Using a wand blender, puree the sauce to a smooth consistency. Stir in ¾ of the reserved bacon, along with remaining garlic, oil, pepper, and chile flakes. Keep the sauce warm until it is served.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and add the spaghetti. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and transfer it to a serving bowl. Serve the pasta with the sauce on top and garnish each serving with the remaining reserved bacon, Parmesan and parsley.