Spaghetti Napolitan - Japanese Encyclopedia

Napolitan, a Dish Born in Japan

Did you know that when most Japanese people hear the word Neapolitan, they think of Spaghetti Napolitan (Napolitan) and not someone from Naples? While the dish has achieved that level of popularity in Japan, Napolitan is barely known abroad, even in Italy, the birthplace of pasta. Aren’t you curious about what the dish is made of?

Is Napolitan Italian?

While Napolitan uses spaghetti noodles, it does not mean Neapolitan-style spaghetti. While the Italian pasta dish amatriciana is comparatively close to Napolitan, there are crucial differences in the ingredients and cooking method.

Generally, Napolitan is spaghetti flavored with ketchup and mixed with ham, bacon or sausage, as well as onions and green peppers. It can also contain tomatoes or canned mushrooms, but does not use tomato sauce. In addition, before being used in the recipe, the noodles are boiled until they are completely soft, instead of being cooked al dente in the Italian style.

Actually, Napolitan was not introduced to Japan from Italy. It is thought that pasta with ketchup, made by Italian-Americans, was introduced by Americans after World War II, and this became the origin of Napolitan. It is now accepted as a uniquely Japanese dish, and is a menu staple at coffee shops and restaurants.

Where Can You Eat Napolitan?

Where should you go when you want to eat some Spaghetti Napolitan? As we wrote before, as it is not an Italian dish, you won’t find it on Italian restaurant menus, even in Japan. You can find it being served in places like somewhat old-fashioned coffee shops, student dining halls, Western-style restaurants, and restaurants specializing in pasta. It is also often made in home kitchens. For that reason, frozen Napolitan packages and Napolitan retort pouches are sold in stores, and are quite popular.

Let’s Try Making Napolitan

If you’re curious about what it tastes like, try making it for yourself at home. It’s a very simple dish, so we recommend it, even if you’re not an adept in the kitchen.

First, take thick spaghetti noodles and boil them for a bit longer than suggested, then stir-fry them together with chopped onions, green peppers, bacon and whatever else you’d like. As for the oil, using vegetable oil or margarine, as opposed to olive oil, will make your Napolitan taste better. Then, add ketchup and cook until the flavors have permeated the spaghetti, and you’re done! The trick is to use a lot of ketchup. Once you’ve piled your Napolitan onto a plate, top it with powdered cheese and Tabasco sauce and dig in.

As real Italian cuisine become more widespread in Japan, Napolitan faded from the spotlight, but in recent years it has experienced a resurgence in popularity. For older people, it has a nostalgic appeal as a Western dish, and tastes fresh to the younger generation, so its flavor is once again garnering attention. When you come to Japan, in addition to soba and udon, how about enjoying another uniquely Japanese noodle dish and ordering a plate of Napolitan?

photos by PIXTA