Tailor Made Spaghetti

Spaghettata cu Pummadoru Sicchi

In 1958, at the age of 19, my zio Giuseppe Manto (Uncle Joe) parted with Sicily,

I recall always hearing about zio Giuseppe, even though I had never met him. When he left I had not been conceived yet, but I heard my parents talk about him as if he  had been their child. He had come to live with my parents and my two brothers, when his parents went back to America.

During that time my parents had become very fond of him, and loved him as one of their own. He left memories behind that I would be able to identify, once I was able to understand. By 19 years of age he was already a skilled tailor. He had chosen a skill over schooling as it was common at that time. When I did not know him yet, I remember my father?s handsome suits and my brothers classic coats, and my mom?s mid-century style dresses that had been tailor made by him, he had left a mark, a signature in our closets.

Uncle Joe left Ribera, his hometown, for a better life abroad and to join his parents who had grown up in the USA, but gone back to Sicily for a period of timez. His parents eventually returned to America where after a few years, they welcomed Joe there, for his first time.

Joe worked as a skilled tailor, from job to job for a few years, got his drivers license, saved his money, met Mary and married her. They came to spend their honeymoon in Sicily.  A letter arrived notifying my family that they would arrive soon by boat. I remember the excitement and expectation before their arrival. I could not wait to meet them, and once I did, I fell in love with them immediately. Unfortunately, their stay was short or so it seemed to me, and I would not see them again, for several more years.

During his years in America, uncle Joe worked hard for his family, he moved to his first nice house, where I came to stay when I came to the US. Than later he moved to a nicer house and finally his little English Manor mansion. His modest tailor business had been successful.

This year after a cruise, uncle Joe and aunt Mary came to stay with us as they have done in the past. I always treasure that time. We share stories of the old world, details of lives past, tell jokes and laugh. We take walks, visit places, go shopping,

We prepare and eat simple mediterranean foods, pastas, vegetables, nuts and lots of fruits. We relax on the dock and take naps.

While aunt Mary sits under the relaxing sun my uncle always takes time to putter around  my garden. On one of his visits he lovingly and carefully pruned my fig tree that was not producing any fruit, and soon after, sweet delicious figs began to appear. On this occasion moving a papaya tree became the object of his attention, What a site it was to see Uncle Joe in his white linen vacation pants, and not a drop of dirt on them. He always likes to do things skillfully.

I watched him work while he dug a perfectly measured size hole and slipped the roots of the papaya plant in it effortlessly. Neither my husband nor I could have done nearly as good a job if we had used a measuring tape.

He made me realized why he has been so successful with his business, his work, his marriage and family,

He?s measured his steps just right. He planned and walked a straight line.

He makes things uncomplicated.

He chose to marry a sensible woman, who always has a smile on her face, and has been supportive of his decisions for almost 50 years.

He likes things right and simple. A perfectionist who takes delight and pride in whatever he does, he is kind to people, generous, never selfish, always ready to lend a hand.

These are the same qualities as to why his suits and services are sought after.

I was able to examine two of his suits tailor made by hand, one stitch at a time, from seams to buttonholes, no machines. With perfection and elegance the suit hangs on the body impeccably. He charges thousands of dollars for these beautiful suits and they are well worth it. Included in that price is getting advise from  uncle Joe who with the most genuine Italian accent, tells his costumers ? Yoo godda tink of da famly, Yoo canty spend, alle tis mony on yoo, if yoo not taka care of famly furst.?

I love sitting at the table with them and listening to these stories.

These stories are what inspired my soul to create the new pasta dish below, that my aunt and uncle came to love. Simple, uncomplicated, easy to make. We savored this dish on a bright, sunny early afternoon, for lunch. I made a fresh baguette which in Sicilian we call ?filuni di pani?  served it with fresh thinly sliced Dubliner Cheese. YUM! Perfect before drinking our expresso and then taking our traditional afternoon nap.

This is my advise to you ? yoo godda tink of da family furst, feed dem da goode stuf?

This dish is dedicated to my uncle Joe and aunt Mary.

Long live the Italian accent!

Yeilds 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 Lb Thin Spaghetti

whole head of garlic cut in large chunks

1/2 Lb Sun dried tomatoes in Olive oil

8 calamata olives pitted

1 tbsp capers

1 (3.75 oz) canned sardines in olive oil

1/4 tsp chopped fresh hot pepper

1/2 cup extra virgin Olive oil

a few sprigs of basil

1/2 cup toasted bread crumbs

Directions:

To toast bread crumbs:

On a dry frying pan, on high heat stir bread crumbs until golden brown(about 2 minutes, then remove from heat and for 30 more seconds continue to stir until nutty brown)

When done remove from pan and set aside.

To make sauce:

Add 2 tbsp of the oil to a large sauté pan

Pour the garlic in it.

When it takes on a light golden color remove the garlic from the pan and set aside, leave the oil in the pan

Add the Sun Dried tomatoes, calamata olives, capers, sardines(without the oil) and fresh hot pepper

Cook for 2 minutes or until oil in the pan turns red.

Pour the whole mixture into a food processor and blend lightly, you want to see small chunks, not a paste (about 5 seconds)

Return the mixture to the sauté pan without applying heat, add  the garlic, add the remainder of the olive oil and with a spoon blend ingredients together.

Prepare spaghetti as directed on box

When ready, take a cup of the liquid in which the spaghetti where cooked in, and  set aside.

Drain the rest of the water out

Spoon spaghetti over the sauce add the basil and on a medium flame work the spaghetti and sauce together until completely blended.

If the spaghetti are too dry add the reserved liquid in which you cooked the spaghetti a little at a time, and as needed.

Serve immediately,

At the table you may choose to add toasted bread crumbs. My preference is about 2 tsp per serving (In Sicily, since cheese and fish are not  compatible in the same dish, we use bread crumbs as a substitute. Bread crumbs add a crunchy texture to the pasta, that is very palatable)