Ippolito Cavalcanti published this recipe in 1837 in his two-book collection Cucina Teorico-Practica. It represents the first documented recipe of spaghetti and tomato sauce.

Ingredients

25 oz tomatoes
Lard

Instructions

Slice tomatoes into quarters.
Remove seeds.
Boil tomatoes.
Strain through a sieve.
“Shrink” over fire and add lard.
Add al dente vermicelli.
Season with salt and pepper.
Cook for a few minutes for pasta to absorb liquid.

Read all about this and other historic sauces in Red Sauce: How Italian Food Became American.