Whenever my Aunt Renata comes to visit, people flock to my house as if there were a cattle call. While she is fantastic company, it is her pasta with red sauce that really draws a crowd. It’s obvious with the smallest taste or just a whiff of its aroma that the sauce is the real deal — nothing canned or bottled.
The recipe originated in the small southern village of Donnici in Calabria, Italy and traveled across the Atlantic when Ren’s mom immigrated to the United States.
My aunt has prepared this crowd pleaser for a lifetime, and I have shadowed her in the kitchen for the entirety of mine.
What was passed on to her she now makes for others — spreading the flavor notes of true Southern Italian cuisine in a culture where often times, unique or modern twists on recipes supersede authenticity.
The dish is not about what pots you use or where you prepare it — it’s about the flavors. The pasta was just as delicious when we ate in on paper plates during a power outage in Mexico as when we ate in off of fine china on Christmas Eve. Or, when I ate it directly out of the Tupperware the next day.
Ren’s pasta with red sauce not only satisfies but delights the varying palates of our family — it brings us together to enjoy life and great food.
In my kitchen at home, a decorative plaque hangs above our stove that reads “Laughter is brightest, where food is best.” Whenever Ren makes her pasta, what started as a small family get-together seems to multiply into a feast for 30. Every time, without fail, as we toss 6 pounds of pasta in a monster-sized serving bowl, we look at each other (the chef and her apprentice) and can’t help but laugh.
Ingredients:
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. country style pork ribs
2 (16 oz.) cans of crushed red tomatoes
1 tbsp. red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. dried oregano
Several sprigs of fresh basil (use the leaves only)
1 c. water
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese (a quality cheese like Pecorino Romano is recommended)
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Salt and pepper the pork ribs generously.
Place olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes and ribs in a deep pot.
Set the stove to medium-high and sauté ribs until they are browned evenly on all sides, turning constantly to avoid sticking.
Stir in two cans of crushed red tomatoes and water.
Bring sauce just to a boil, and add oregano, basil leaves and salt to taste.
Turn heat to low and simmer sauce for long as possible. (The longer the sauce simmers, the richer the flavor.)
Bring 8 cups of salted water to a boil in a deep pot. (Pasta should always be cooked in heavily salted water. “Over-salting” pasta water is a myth.)
Once the water comes to a rolling boil, add 1 pound of your favorite pasta — fusilli, rigatoni, penne or spaghetti.
Cook pasta to your desired ‘doneness’ and strain — some prefer it al dente (with a bite), while others prefer it softer.
Remove the pork ribs from the sauce with a slotted spoon and serve in a separate bowl alongside the pasta.
Toss noodles with sauce and Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
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Aunt Renata’s red sauce: Taste the pastabilities
Daily Emerald
January 20, 2010
Emily E. Smith
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