Spaghetti Sauce

Spaghetti Sauce

In memory of my grandmother, Amelia Bonturi, "Noni".

The Internet is awash in recipes for spaghetti sauce, and here is yet another one. This is an old family recipe which has been passed down from Noni (pronounced with short "o") to her five daughters from Hollister, California, and to their daughters and sons and to Noni's great grandchildren. The recipe was never put into writing until I asked my mother, Gloria, to tell me the recipe, which I have enshrined here. This page contains specific measurements and is intended to allow anyone to make it successfully. The recipe contains Noni's special ingredient: cinnamon.

If you are averse to handling onions, an electric chopper is highly recommended. Be careful, though, as too much electric chopper action results in a liquefied purée. You want to chop the onion, not purée it.

The recipe:

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1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion
5 cloves garlic
29 oz. can tomato sauce
6 oz. can tomato paste
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp allspice
3 bay leaves
Salt
Pepper

OPTIONAL
¼ tsp ground cloves
Pinch baking soda (tames acidity and smoothes out the flavor)
Rosemary
Thyme
Basil
Dried parsley
Seasonings may be adjusted to taste.

Chop onions and garlic. Place ground beef, onions and garlic in a skillet; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until beef is no longer pink and onions are tender.
Add remaining ingredients. Simmer slowly for three hours, adding water as needed. Remove bay leaves.

This sauce freezes well.

Noni In the Kitchen

In memory of Charles Bonturi and Renette Ungaretti.



© Copyright Chris Clementson