Spaghetti: The Roy Choi Way
Spaghetti was probably one of the first things you ate as a baby. Spaghetti and sauce, cut up into tiny pieces and served in your highchair. About 5% ended up in your belly, while the other 95% ended up smeared over every surface within reach. How do you take traditional spaghetti and elevate it to a restaurant quality? Chef Roy Choi brings spaghetti to life with his recipe in his cookbook L.A. Son. His recipe highlights a $4 spaghetti that tastes as good as a $24 Spaghetti Junction recipe. Serves 4-6 people Cooking Time 4.5 hours Ingredients - Sauce 1/4 pound button mushroom, whole 3/4 cup garlic cloves, peeled 1 cup olive oil, extra virgin 2 28-ounce cans of whole peeled tomatoes, San Marzano Salt & pepper
Ingredients - Continued... Spaghetti Fresh basil, torn Parmigiano Step 1: After a quick brushing off of any dirt, put the mushrooms in a large pot and cover them with about 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Strain the mushroom stock after about an hour and a half and reserve. Step 2: Meanwhile, combine the garlic and olive oil in a small saucepan and cook over the lowest flame possible, low and slow, for about 2 hours, stirring periodically until the garlic is a dark golden brown.
Step 3: When the garlic is done, add the tomatoes along with all of their juice to another large pot. Bring the tomatoes to a boil, then add the garlic confit to the pot, including the oil. Step 4: Add the mushroom stock to the tomato-garlic mixture, one gallon at first, and blend with a stick blender. You are looking for a smooth consistency. Add more stock if necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper Step 5: Turn down the heat to the lowest possible flame and cook for about 2 hours, stirring the sauce periodically. Check for flavour and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary. Step 6: Heat up a big pot of boiling water, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a touch of olive oil, and bring it to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until it’s al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Step 7: Drain and serve the spaghetti among all the bowls. Toss immediately with the sauce - about a cup of sauce for each bowl of spaghetti. Garnish with basil and Parmigiano. ENJOY!