Pino Luongo

Serves 4 – 6, appetite depending

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Maranzo, with their juice, pureed in a food processor or food mill
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound spaghetti or linguini
¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Place the butter in a 10 to 12- inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and 1 teaspoon of the salt.  When the mixture starts to bubble, reduce the heat to very low and cook at a bare simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

While the sauce is cooking, fill a 10-quart stockpot with 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons kosher salt.  Add the pasta, stir, and cook until al dente.

Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the skillet with the sauce.  If the pasta looks dry, add the reserved cooking water 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing to combine between additions.  While tossing the pasta and sauce, sprinkle the cheese and toss until the cheese is incorporated.  The dish should look creamy and moist. Serve immediately, drizzling each portion with a little bit of olive oil.

VINO  I recommend a whole heartedly Tuscan white wine – Vernaccia from San Gimignano.  Look for the Teruzzi e Puthod label.  In winter, or if you simply prefer a red wine,  choose a Dolcetto from the Piedmont region.