Antonia Isola published an early English-language Italian cook book in the United States, Simple Italian Cooking, providing a documented source of Italian-influenced red sauce in America.

Ingredients

Ham fat
Onion
Celery
Parsley
2 tablespoons tomato paste or 7 or 8 tomatoes from a can
Hot water
Parmigiano-Reggiano

Instructions

Cook onion, celery and parsley in fat.
Add tomato paste and water or tomatoes.
Boil together for 15 minutes.
Cook macaroni.
Add cooked macaroni to sauce.
Add grated cheese.
Stir together and serve.

Read all about this and other historic sauces in Red Sauce: How Italian Food Became American.