Spaghetti Alla Matriciana

Ingredients

8 medium sized fresh, ripe tomatoes

½ cup  diced bacon

1 medium- sized onion, peeled and chopped

Cayenne pepper to taste

500 g (1 lb.) spaghetti

 ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Method

1.       Drop tomatoes into boiling water. Quickly remove them and slip off their skins. Cut the tomatoes into small pieces and puree.

2.       Cook bacon until fat is rendered. Add onion and sauté gently until onion is translucent. Add tomatoes and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes.

3.       Cook spaghetti in salted water until firm but cocked through. Drain and serve with sauce and grated cheese.

Danie de Villiers – Freelance writer and foodexpert

Buttered Noodles

Ingredients

• 8 ounces (250 g) ribbon noodles

• Boiling water

• ½-teaspoon salt

• 1-tablespoon butter

Method

1. Boil the noodles in plenty of boiling salted water for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Boils until they are cooked al dente - this means the noodles are soft but still offer some slight resistance to the teeth.

2. Drain in a colander and melt the butter in the pan used to cook the noodles. Return the noodles to the pan and gently lift and turn the noodles in the butter with two forks so that they are coated with butter. 

Serve the noodles in a dish and garnish with a sprig of parsley.

Danie de Villiers - Freelance Writer