Cooking for One
- Prep time 10 minutes
- Cook time 20 minutes
- Serves 1
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Author Notes
Spaghetti Napolitan (named after Naples, Italy), or what I like to call "ketchup spaghetti," was invented by the head chef at the New Grand Hotel. Since tomato sauce was a rare ingredient in postwar Yokohama around the 1950s, ketchup was used as a substitute. —Eric Kim
Test Kitchen Notes
Featured in: The Story of Spaghetti Napolitan, Japan's Best Pasta Dish. —The Editors
What You'll Need
Ingredients
- 4 ouncesspaghetti (I prefer thin, but regular is fine)
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1 large organic egg
- Olive oil, for frying egg
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoonsunsalted butter, divided
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoonsketchup^
- 1 pinchsugar
- 1 tablespoonmilk
- 1/4 cupParmesan
- 1/4 cupfresh chopped parsley
Directions
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, season with salt, and cook the spaghetti according to package instructions.
- Meanwhile, fry egg in some olive oil, sunny-side up, until crispy at the edges. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- When pasta is done, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, drain, and set spaghetti aside for later.
- In the now empty pot, prepare the sauce: Melt 1 tablespoon butter and sauté onion and bell pepper for 2 to 3 minutes, until just starting to caramelize.
- Add the remaining tablespoon butter, then stir in the ketchup and sugar. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until ketchup has cooked down a bit. Splash in milk, along with the cooked and drained spaghetti. Toss with the sauce and fry pasta for a minute or so, adding some of the reserved cooking water to thin out as needed.
- Season with salt and pepper and stir in the Parmesan and parsley. Plate spaghetti, then top with the fried egg.
- ^If you've got tomato paste lying around, then substitute 1 of the tablespoons ketchup with tomato paste for a deeper, richer tomato flavor.
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Eric Kim was the Table for One columnist at Food52. He is currently working on his first cookbook, KOREAN AMERICAN, to be published by Clarkson Potter in 2022. His favorite writers are William Faulkner, John Steinbeck, and Ernest Hemingway, but his hero is Nigella Lawson. You can find his bylines at The New York Times, where he works now as a writer. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @ericjoonho.
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13 Reviews
YangHwa June 18, 2023
This was one of my comfort food growing up in Japan. For all those people calling this food vile, disgusting, etc, no one in Japan thinks this is real Italian food. It was a Japanese creation post war (as Eric has mentioned); along with Japanese curry (no one in Japan thinks it’s Indian curry), and Japanese hambagu (hamburger patties).
Matilda October 23, 2022
Bro, I’m Italian and trust me, if you go to Naples or everywhere in Italy and you show to someone this, I don’t think you will still alive. KETCHUP AND PASTA IS ILLEGAL!!! P.s. ketchup and tomato sauce are not the same thing, so please take the right decision and be a good chef! <3
Jenny M. June 26, 2023
To cook pasta and let it sit til the rest is done!
sister M. February 5, 2022
This is delicious. Will be making again for sure! Thanks!
mdelgatty March 8, 2020
Why would you fry the egg ahead of time, rather than just before serving so it's still hot?
Eric K. March 8, 2020
Hm, good point. I think I did that so you wouldn't have to dirty another pan. I suppose you could in theory make the spaghetti first, plate it, clean the pan (there'll be some gunk), and fry an egg in there. Or just fry in a separate pan so everything stays hot. Not important; do you!
mdelgatty March 9, 2020
And here I thought maybe I was missing something important! (Hate missing things...)
Jenny M. June 26, 2023
Why cook pasta ahead of time?
Lynn D. July 7, 2019
Waiting to make this when my husband is out of town. He-will-not-eat ketchup. I'm thinking of adapting it to a one pot Martha Stewart style pasta dis and adding cubed fried spam.
I am an avid culinary enthusiast with a deep knowledge of various cuisines and cooking techniques. My expertise extends to the art of crafting delightful recipes, and I am well-versed in the cultural origins and historical context of different dishes. In the realm of pasta, I have a particular fondness for exploring unique and inventive recipes that showcase the versatility of this beloved Italian staple.
The article in question, "Recipes Dinner Pasta Cooking for One" by Eric Kim, introduces an intriguing dish known as Spaghetti Napolitan, also colloquially referred to as "ketchup spaghetti." My extensive culinary background allows me to shed light on the historical and cultural context of this dish, providing a comprehensive understanding for fellow enthusiasts.
The recipe involves the use of simple yet flavorful ingredients, showcasing the ingenuity of the head chef at the New Grand Hotel in postwar Yokohama. As tomato sauce was a scarce commodity during that time, ketchup was ingeniously employed as a substitute, giving rise to the unique Spaghetti Napolitan.
Now, let's break down the key concepts and components of this recipe:
Ingredients:
- Spaghetti (4 ounces): The choice of thin or regular spaghetti is mentioned, allowing for a personal preference in texture.
- Kosher salt: Used to season the boiling water for cooking spaghetti.
- Organic egg (1 large): Fried sunny-side up and used as a topping for the finished dish.
- Olive oil: Used for frying the egg.
- Freshly ground black pepper: Added for seasoning.
- Unsalted butter (2 tablespoons, divided): Used in the sauce for sautéing onions and bell peppers.
- Red onion (1/2, thinly sliced): Sautéed along with bell pepper for the sauce.
- Red bell pepper (1/2, thinly sliced): Another component of the sautéed sauce.
- Ketchup (2 tablespoons): The key ingredient, serving as a substitute for traditional tomato sauce.
- Sugar (1 pinch): Added to balance and enhance the flavors.
- Milk (1 tablespoon): Used in the sauce to create a creamy texture.
- Parmesan (1/4 cup): Adds a rich, savory element to the dish.
- Fresh chopped parsley (1/4 cup): Used for garnish and added freshness.
Cooking Directions:
- Boiling Spaghetti: The pasta is cooked in boiling, salted water according to package instructions.
- Frying Egg: The egg is fried sunny-side up in olive oil until crispy at the edges and seasoned with salt and pepper.
- Preparing Sauce: Sautéing onions and bell peppers in butter, then adding ketchup, sugar, and milk. The cooked and drained spaghetti is tossed in the sauce.
- Final Touch: Season with salt and pepper, stir in Parmesan and parsley, plate the spaghetti, and top with the fried egg.
Additional Notes:
- The historical context of Spaghetti Napolitan is emphasized, highlighting its origin in postwar Yokohama and the clever use of ketchup due to the scarcity of tomato sauce.
- The article suggests a variation using tomato paste for a deeper, richer tomato flavor if available.
In conclusion, my expertise in the culinary arts allows me to appreciate the innovation and cultural significance embedded in this Spaghetti Napolitan recipe, making it a delightful exploration for those cooking for one.