Osteria Mamma's 'Midnight Spaghetti'
Known in the Cortivo and Cecchinato family as “midnight spaghetti,” this dish — adapted from Osteria Mamma’s self-published cookbook — is meant to be made from readily available pantry items and fridge staples. Loredana “Mamma” Cecchinato made this for her family in Italy long before her children opened the Larchmont Italian restaurant Osteria Mamma, often using it to feed them and their friends into the early hours of morning. Lightly garlicky and a textural delight thanks to fresh herbs and flecks of imported tuna in the quick tomato sauce, it’s especially satisfying after a late night spent drinking or otherwise socializing. Do as the Osteria Mamma team does and pair this dish with a mineral-rich white wine such as Tornatore’s Etna Bianco.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti per instructions, until al dente, then strain.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the rest of the dish. Chop the basil and parsley and combine in a small bowl.
Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the anchovy filets and stir until they’ve fully dissolved into the mixture, about 1 minute.
Once the anchovies have dissolved, stir in the can of peeled tomatoes, crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon until the sauce is smooth.
Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low, stirring continually for about 15 minutes.
Stir in the cans of tuna, including oil, and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes. Salt to taste.
Once all of the liquid has evaporated, stir in the basil and parsley mix.
Mix the pasta with the sauce. Serve immediately with grated Parmesan and fresh ground pepper.
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