Napolitan Spaghetti

Featured in chef Tadashi Ono's Japanese Soul Cooking (Ten Speed Press, 2013), this pasta dish was created at the New Grand Hotel in Yokohama, Japan, after World War II to cater to American GIs, and soon became a mealtime favorite across the rest of the country. It first appeared in the iPad edition of our November 2013 issue along with the story Spaghetti Western.

  • Serves

    serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. spaghetti
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 14 lb. white button mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 14 lb. cooked ham, cut into ¼"-thick strips about 2" long
  • 14 lb. long beans or regular green beans, trimmed and cut into 2" pieces
  • 14 cup milk
  • 14 cup sake
  • 5 tbsp. ketchup
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 14 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • Tabasco, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Step 2

Melt butter in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are golden brown, 10–12 minutes. Add ham and cook until lightly browned, 6–8 minutes more. Stir in long beans, milk, sake, ketchup, paprika, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are just tender, about 3 minutes. Add reserved spaghetti to saucepan and toss in sauce to coat. Cook until pasta is warmed through, 1–2 minutes.

Step 3

Divide spaghetti and sauce between serving bowls. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve with Tabasco, if you like.
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  2. Melt butter in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are golden brown, 10–12 minutes. Add ham and cook until lightly browned, 6–8 minutes more. Stir in long beans, milk, sake, ketchup, paprika, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are just tender, about 3 minutes. Add reserved spaghetti to saucepan and toss in sauce to coat. Cook until pasta is warmed through, 1–2 minutes.
  3. Divide spaghetti and sauce between serving bowls. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve with Tabasco, if you like.
Recipes

Napolitan Spaghetti

  • Serves

    serves 4

Napolitan Spaghetti
TODD COLEMAN

Featured in chef Tadashi Ono's Japanese Soul Cooking (Ten Speed Press, 2013), this pasta dish was created at the New Grand Hotel in Yokohama, Japan, after World War II to cater to American GIs, and soon became a mealtime favorite across the rest of the country. It first appeared in the iPad edition of our November 2013 issue along with the story Spaghetti Western.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. spaghetti
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 14 lb. white button mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 14 lb. cooked ham, cut into ¼"-thick strips about 2" long
  • 14 lb. long beans or regular green beans, trimmed and cut into 2" pieces
  • 14 cup milk
  • 14 cup sake
  • 5 tbsp. ketchup
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 14 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • Tabasco, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Step 2

Melt butter in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are golden brown, 10–12 minutes. Add ham and cook until lightly browned, 6–8 minutes more. Stir in long beans, milk, sake, ketchup, paprika, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are just tender, about 3 minutes. Add reserved spaghetti to saucepan and toss in sauce to coat. Cook until pasta is warmed through, 1–2 minutes.

Step 3

Divide spaghetti and sauce between serving bowls. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve with Tabasco, if you like.
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  2. Melt butter in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are golden brown, 10–12 minutes. Add ham and cook until lightly browned, 6–8 minutes more. Stir in long beans, milk, sake, ketchup, paprika, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are just tender, about 3 minutes. Add reserved spaghetti to saucepan and toss in sauce to coat. Cook until pasta is warmed through, 1–2 minutes.
  3. Divide spaghetti and sauce between serving bowls. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve with Tabasco, if you like.

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