CAPELLINI ALLA CARRETTIERA (LAZIAN CARTER-STYLE CAPELLINI)

May 19

May 19 CAPELLINI ALLA CARRETTIERA (LAZIAN CARTER-STYLE CAPELLINI)

SOURCE: MARCELLA HAZAN. THE CLASSIC ITALIAN COOKBOOK: THE ART OF ITALIAN COOKING AND THE ITALIAN ART OF EATING.

Except for the Seven Hills of cosmopolitan Rome, the Italian region of Lazio reserved the rest of its terrain for agriculture, animal husbandry, and viticulture. The workers responsible for the delivery of wine and produce from the hillside villages and châteaux to the Eternal City drew their wooden carts known as carretti either by hand or by mules. Notoriously overworked and underpaid, these carters or carrettieri resorted to improvisation through quick-cooking and affordable but heartily satisfying lunches of pasta when it came to nourishing themselves for the exhausting long treks back and forth the city. What other ingredients could perfectly meet the criteria for Sugo alla Carrettiera besides canned tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil briefly and gently simmered into matching and soaking over the thinness of the noodles? — Except for the Seven Hills of cosmopolitan Rome, the Italian region of Lazio reserved the rest of its terrain for agriculture, animal husbandry, and viticulture. The workers responsible for the delivery of wine and produce from the hillside villages and châteaux to the Eternal City drew their wooden carts known as *carretti* either by hand or by mules. Notoriously overworked and underpaid, these carters or *carrettieri* resorted to improvisation through quick-cooking and affordable but heartily satisfying lunches of pasta when it came to nourishing themselves for the exhausting long treks back and forth the city. What other ingredients could perfectly meet the criteria for *Sugo alla Carrettiera* besides canned tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil briefly and gently simmered into matching and soaking over the thinness of the noodles?

Ingredients

1 1/2 to 2 cups/32 to 45 grams roughly chopped basil leaves, preferably picked fresh on the same day for best results

2 cups/450 grams canned Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, drained and seeded

2 tablespoons/15 grams peeled and finely chopped garlic

1/3 cup/80 mL olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 pound/500 grams capellini

OPTIONAL: Fresh basil leaves, chopped into a thin chiffonade

Specific Equipment

Medium-sized saucepan

Deep-bottomed stockpot

Colander

Large mixing bowl

Large mixing forks to toss the capellini

Serves 4 to 6

Instructions

1. Combine the basil, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, 1 teaspoon/6 grams salt, and pepper in a saucepan and cook to simmering over medium-high heat for 15 minutes. Correct the seasoning by adjusting the salt according to taste.

2. Cook the capellini in a stockpot of boiling salted water until al dente or almost but not quite tender. Drain the capellini over a colander. Transfer the capellini to a mixing bowl.

3. Pour the tomato sauce over the capellini. Toss the capellini and the tomato sauce altogether with two large mixing forks until well-blended.