| 3 cups | canned whole peeled tomatoes ( with juice) coarse chopped |
| 5 tbsps | butter |
| 1 1/4 teaspoons | salt |
| 1 | medium onion coarse chopped |
| 5 cloves | garlic medium chopped |
| 12 | fresh basil leaves coarsely shredded |
| 2 | cayenne peppers medium chopped (optional) |
| 12 ounces | spaghetti noodles |
| 1/3 cup | Parmesan cheese coarsely shredded |
1. Place tomatoes, butter, onion, garlic, basil, pepper and salt in a 4 to 5 quart saucepan and place over medium heat. When the tomatoes begin to bubble, reduce the heat to a slow but steady simmer. Cook, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes, until the tomatoes are no longer watery and the sauce is reduced (45 min to 1 hour). When the sauce is done, the butter will have separated and there should not be any liquid left.
2. When the sauce is ready, fill a pot for the pasta with about six quarts of water, cover, and place over high heat. When the water boils, add 2 tablespoons of salt to the pasta water, and add the pasta. Stir until the strands are submerged. Cook until al dente. When the pasta is done, drain well, toss with the sauce and the grated Parmesan cheese. Serve at once.