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Spaghetti Neapolitan used to be a very popular food at restaurants in Japan a long time ago. It was often served not at Italian restaurants, but at old-fashioned coffee shops in any town. That was a time there were no Starbucks in Japan. These coffee shops were little places run by a mom and pop . They often served light snacks such as sandwiches and hot dogs along with a little heavier dishes, like curry and rice and this Spaghetti Neapolitan. Those shops were usually very dark inside, had old decor, and smelled funky, but they almost always served the best foods! I’ve never encountered bad Spaghetti Neapolitan in the old coffee shops.

That said, it is actually kind of hard to make bad Spaghetti Neapolitan. The ingredients and steps of making it are simple. You just can’t mess it up. Sausage and ham are typical meats to use, but you could also use chicken or shrimp if you don’t like to use processed meats. At coffee shops, it is served with powdered cheese (I think it’s Parmesan cheese, but not sure … the closest is grated Parmesan cheese in a can!) and Tabasco. Seasoning with these at the table makes the dish even more authentic 🙂

It is impossible to find those dark, old and almost scary Japanese coffee shops in the US (and harder and harder in Japan too), so we just have to make this tasty and nostalgic dish at home. And luckily, it is so easy to make!









