Spaghetti with Calamari Sauce

Being in a mostly Italian family, we seem to eat a lot of pastas and never get tired of it. In Italy, a meal without pasta every day, is unheard of...just as in Hungary, a meal without soup every day is 'not a meal' ...as my father used to say...so, I'm 'famous' for both! I make a lot of different pastas with different sauces, and I also make a lot of soups, as well. The most popular sauce in my family is the simple 'red sauce' that you cook up in 30 minutes. It doesn't have to be with fresh tomatoes...if you have a favorite good canned tomato puree, which is the easiest way, add some seafood...as in this case calamari/squid... then you have dinner PRONTO~

I'm not going to make a big deal about this; it's one of those pastas that I rarely take photos of...cooking this at the last minute...lighting in the evening not the best, not so great photos...been cloudy and rainy just about every day, but here in S. Florida, we can have a rainstorm and half an hour later the sun will come out, and sometimes it even rains when the sun shines...just from one single cloud...strange, but true! Family away to NYC for the weekend, and I'm staying here withe the cute little Chihuahua pups...Stella and Luigi. They are such a joy, so happy, and a delightful pair. On to the recipe...actually no recipe; mad from 'scratch' but will be jotting down the easy method!

Spaghetti with Calamari Sauce
recipe by; Elisabeth

1- 28 oz. can Tomato Puree (I used Hunt's this time)
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic mince
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
fresh basil snipped
fresh oregano snipped (you can use dried)
1 cup white wine (you can use veg. broth, or fish stock in place of wine)
1/2 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
red pepper flakes (use the amount you like)
1 lb. calamari-squid cleaned and sliced (not too thin, 1 inch)

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil on med. high heat. Saute chopped onions and garlic until soft, and wilted. Add the wine and let it cook down to half the amount. Add the tomato puree, and add 1/2 cup of water right into the can...swish around to clean out the leftover sauce in the can. Add that to the saucepan. Switch to high heat, let it come to a boil, and turn down the heat to med./low to simmer for at least 20 to 25 minutes longer. Add the fresh snipped herbs, and the cleaned and rinsed calamari; also the little tentacles. Cook for no longer than 5 minutes. Caution not to cook any longer, or it will turn to a 'rubbery' texture.
Serve over spaghetti, or linguine...Enjoy!