Noodles Calabria Style (Calabria)

Pasta

Ingredients

Ripe tomatoes - 2 1/2 pounds

Olive oil - 1/2 cup

Garlic, crushed - 1 clove

Hot chili pepper, finely chopped - small piece

Onion, finely chopped - 1

Parma ham, finely chopped - 1/4 pound

Salt and pepper

Broken macaroni - 5 cups

Grated caciocavallo cheese - 1 cup

Peel and chop the tomatoes, discarding seeds. Heat the oil in a large pan and saute the garlic and chili pepper. Discard the garlic as soon as it browns, add the onion and cook until it becomes translucent. Add the ham, continue cooking for 2 or 3 minutes longer, then add the tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, raise the  heat and cook briskly for 30 minutes.

Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni until tender but firm. Drain and dress with a little of the sauce. Put a layer of macaroni in a hot serving dish ,sprinkle with plenty of grated cheese and add about 2 tbsps of the sauce. Continue in this manner until all the ingredients are used up and serve immediately while still very hot.

Serves 6