Kosta’s Bigouli for a Thousand People

2 kilos olive oil

10 onions, coarsely chopped

3 cinnamon sticks

10 allspice berries

2 Tbsp rosemary

2 Tbsp basil

2 Tbsp thyme

1/2 cup smoked paprika

1/2 cup powdered ginger

2 Tablespoons cumin

5–6 Tablespoons ground pepper

ground cinnamon to taste

1½–2 kilos tomato paste

6 cans, 4500 grams each (158 ounces) of tomato sauce

50–60 liters water, plus more as needed

20 kilos pasta—bigoli, fettucine, penne, or whatever good-hearted people have donated

1/2 kilo salt, or more to taste

1. Chop the onions. Break up the pasta. (This is an ideal job for kids.) Open the cans of tomato paste and pulp so they’re ready to go when you need them.

2. Heat the olive oil until warm. Add the cinnamon, allspice and rosemary and sauté until fragrant.

3. Add the onions and sauté lightly, without letting them brown. When they become translucent, add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, ground spices, basil, thyme, and salt. Stir until the sauce becomes velvety.

4. Add the pasta and cook until finished. Add more water if needed.

5. Serve to a thousand people.

—Aglaia Kremezi, Peter Moskos, Zora O’Neill, and Mitsos Triantopoulos all helped translate this recipe.