$4 Spaghetti That’s Almost As Good As $24 Spaghetti

The title lies. I made the recipe for Scarpetta's Spaghetti With Tomato And Basil I got off the web and it was a million times better than this one.   I thought it would be at least similar, but even after an hour and a half of cooking it was still pretty thin and the oil was a pale imitation of the original.  I hate to be so down on it but it promised the world and didn't even deliver a city.  If they hadn't raised my expectations, I probably would have liked it more.  I see no reason to keep the recipe.  I will give it this, it is much easier than the original.  I like the idea of using a rich mushroom broth to help boost the flavor, but I didn't see the results I expected.

$4 Spaghetti That’s Almost As Good As $24 Spaghetti

4    ounces white button mushrooms,thinly sliced
3/4 c  peeled garlic cloves (4 ounces,from about 4 heads)
2/3 c  extra-virgin olive oil
Two 28-ounce cans peeled Italian tomatoes with their juices
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 lb spaghetti
1/4 c  torn basil leaves
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese,for serving
1. In a saucepan, bring the mushrooms and 3 cups of water to a boil.
Simmer over moderate heat until the broth is reduced to 1 cup, 1 hour.
Strain and discard the mushrooms.
2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the garlic and olive oil to a
boil. Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring, until the garlic is
very tender and golden, about 30 minutes.
3. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole or Dutch oven, bring the
tomatoes and the garlic and oil to a boil. Add the mushroom broth and,
using an immersion blender, puree the sauce until smooth. Bring the
sauce back to a boil, then simmer over moderately low heat until
thickened, about 1 hour. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
4. Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water until al
dente. Drain the spaghetti and return to the pot. Add 2 cups of the
sauce and cook, tossing, for 1 minute. Transfer the spaghetti to bowls,
top with the basil and serve with grated cheese.
Make Ahead The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for
up to 3 months.