Napolitan Spaghetti (Japanese-style Tomato Pasta)

Steps

▶ Tap a timecode to jump to roughly that moment in the video.

1. 1
   Slice the onion into strips, cut the hot dog (or ham) diagonally into pieces, slice most of the green pepper into strips, and cut a few pepper rings aside for garnish.
   ▶ ≈2:06
2. 2
   Slice the fresh tomato, keeping the skin on for extra nutrients.
   ▶ ≈2:55
3. 3
   Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti, stirring occasionally so the strands don't stick together.
   ▶ ≈3:15
4. 4
   Heat a little olive oil in a pan and sauté the sliced onion and green pepper until slightly softened and their sweetness comes out.
   ▶ ≈5:21
5. 5
   Add the minced garlic and sauté briefly, then stir in the tomato paste and fresh tomato puree.
   ▶ ≈6:16
6. 6
   Add ketchup and stir-fry a bit longer so the sauce turns a deeper red instead of a pale orange.
   ▶ ≈6:37
7. 7
   Add the sliced fresh tomato to build layers of tomato flavor from all three tomato components.
   ▶ ≈7:03
8. 8
   Add the sliced hot dog (or ham) and ladle in a bit of the pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce.
   ▶ ≈7:23
9. 9
   Stir in a little sugar to balance the acidity with a touch of sweetness, then add butter for extra richness and aroma.
   ▶ ≈7:51
10. 10
    Add the drained cooked spaghetti into the sauce and toss well so the noodles soak up the flavor.
    ▶ ≈8:24
11. 11
    Just before finishing, add the reserved pepper rings and cook briefly to keep them crisp, letting the sauce reduce slightly.
    ▶ ≈8:51
12. 12
    Plate the pasta, sprinkle grated cheese on top, and serve this bright red, slightly sweet-and-sour Napolitan spaghetti.
    ▶ ≈9:50