Filipino Spaghetti Mixes Savory With Sweet

Filipino spaghetti, noodles coated with sweet tomato sauce and garnished with hot dogs, isn’t just a nostalgic dish for many Filipinos—it helps chart the country’s history.

“To understand the history of Filipino spaghetti, or even what Filipino food is in general, one must look into our history,” says Lakhi Siap, a partner at Chicago’s Isla Pilipina. Trade with China introduced noodles to the Philippines, then during World War II,...