Spaghetti by Martha

Here’s Susan’s version of Martha’s Spaghetti.

• 2 T olive oil
• 3 or 4 cloves garlic
• red pepper flakes
• 1 T dried basil
• 1/4 pound hamburger
• 2 cans chopped tomatoes with spices (with green peppers and onions)
• spaghetti–cooked al dente

Peel and slice three or four cloves of garlic and fry along with a healthy pinch of red pepper flakes in 2 tablespoons olive oil until golden. (Careful, garlic burns easily.) When the garlic is ready, crumble in 1/4 pound of hamburger meat and cook until all the pink is gone.

Next pour in two cans diced tomatoes with spices. Add 1 tablespoon dried basil. (If you rub it between your CLEAN hands as you put it in the pot, you’ll release the oils and flavor.)  Cook on medium heat until the sauce starts to thicken.

Drain cooked spaghetti noodles (al dente) and add to the meat sauce and stir together until the sauce starts to stick to the noodles. (This is where Martha puts in cheese. It makes the sauce thicken faster and stick to the noodles. We opt to live with thinner sauce and forego the cheese.)

That’s it–ready to chow down!