The Best EVER Spaghetti and Meatballs

12/17/2016 by Laura 3 Comments

I have never been a big of a fan of spaghetti and meatballs, UNTIL NOW! I’ve made many meatballs in my time… all coming close to what I imagined, but never really “nailing it”. That all changed with this recipe. Inspired by a recent meal at our neighborhood Italian restaurant, we decided we must learn to make fabulous spaghetti and meatballs at home. Don’t get me wrong, the meatballs at the restaurant in the ‘hood were great… but, a plate of spaghetti and 2 meatballs for $16 is not sustainable! I set about researching recipes, and there it was on my own bookshelf! I found Frank Pellogrino’s, of the Rao’s family, recipe in my Fine Cooking – Italian cookbook! Since getting a table at Rao’s is virtually impossible…it’s great to have this recipe at hand.

For the meatballs:

We tripled the recipe…plenty for the freezer!

1/2 lb. ground beef

1/2 lb. ground pork

1/2 lb. ground veal

1 Tbs. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup finely grated imported Locatelli Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano (or half and half); more for serving

1-1/2 cups plain dry breadcrumbs, (I used fresh breadcrumbs made from a baguette)

1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 cup olive oil or vegetable oil; more as needed

1 lb. dried spaghetti

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Break up the ground meat into a large bowl. Sprinkle on the salt, pepper, minced garlic, eggs, grated cheese, breadcrumbs, 1-1/2 cups water, and parsley. Mix with your hands until everything is evenly distributed, but don’t over mix. Shape into meatballs by gently scooping up a handful of meat and rolling it into a nice even ball; each meatball should weigh about 4 oz. and be about 2-1/2 inches in diameter.

In a heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Gently set six of the meatballs in the oil and fry until they’re lightly browned on the bottom half, 5 to 6 min. Carefully turn them over using a slotted spatula and brown the other side. You are not cooking them all the way through. They will finish cooking in the sauce. This was a big lesson for me….I had always overcooked them, resulting in a dry, tough meatball!

Drain the meatballs on a few paper towels to soak up excess oil. Fry the remaining meatballs the same way.

For the marinara:

I changed this a bit, as we always have #10 cans of Italian tomatoes on hand…yes, seriously

1 #10 can, or 4 28 ounce cans, authentic San Marzano Italian tomatoes (I use Strianese Brand)

1/2 cup good quality, Italian olive oil (I use Partanna Brand)

10 cloves garlic, lightly smashed

2 Tbs. kosher salt; more as needed

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano

optional – 1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes – if you like a little heat

In a very large stockpot or heavy dutch oven, sauté the garlic in the olive oil, over low heat. Break up the tomatoes with your hands, while in the can. Add them to the stock pot. Season with salt and pepper. Let simmer 2-3 hours while you make the meatballs. Add the chopped fresh herbs during the last hour of cooking. Add the crushed red pepper flakes if using. Add the meatballs during the last 30 minutes of cooking. Simmer very gently.

for the pasta:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the meatballs and sauce have been simmering for about 20 min., add the spaghetti to the boiling water and boil until it’s just about al dente, undercooked a bit.

The next step is called the segreto method, and is key to the success of the entire dish. I had never done this before and it made a huge difference!

When the spaghetti is done, drain it and return it to the pot it was cooked in. (DO NOT RINSE THE PASTA) Add a couple of ladlefuls of the marinara sauce to the spaghetti. Put the pot over high heat and, with a wooden spoon or tongs, constantly toss the pasta until each piece is coated with sauce, about 1 min. Transfer to serving bowls and ladle more sauce over the spaghetti, along with two to three meatballs. Serve with grated cheese.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Dave did…5 meals in a row!

Buona serata,

Laura

Italian Wedding Soup

10/24/2014 by Laura 1 Comment

As I say goodbye to the best summer ever in the Pacific Northwest, I try to convince myself there are benefits to the cooler weather. I replace my t-shirt with my favorite sweater, my flip-flops with my awesome purple suede boots, and snuggle into a bed fitted with soft flannel sheets and a fluffy down comforter. Drifting off to sleep, I dream about SOUP! Not July’s cold, fruity, melted popsicle like soup but hearty, hot, fill your belly, warm your soul, go on to live another day kind of soup! Butternut Squash Soup, White Bean and Kale Soup, Lentil Soup, Beef and Barely Soup, Chicken Noodle Soup (always on hand in the freezer for unplanned cold or flu), and soups I have yet to invent, soups from foreign lands, made with spices, beans and grains I have never tried. I snap out of my pre-winter doldrums and find myself almost giddy with excitement. I have stock to make, bones and veggies to roast, broth to clarify, beans to soak, and recipes to research. Where’s my tureen? I think I need a new stock pot! “Dave, I’m heading to Restaurant Supply, I’ll be back in an hour”!

It has been pouring heavy, bone-chilling rain all week. We’ve had a fire three nights out of five. I finally made time to make a pot of soup. I absolutely love Italian Wedding Soup. I have no idea when or where I first had it, but I always order it when it’s on the menu! I love the combination of the rich broth, the little one-bite meatballs and the strong, bitter greens, traditionally endive. In researching recipes, I learned this soup has nothing to do with weddings. Per Wikipedia, the term “wedding soup” is a mistranslation of the Italian language phrase “minestra maritata (“married soup”),” which is a reference to the fact that green vegetables and meats go well together. As you can imagine, there are hundreds of variations of this soup. My version is a combination of Whole Foods and Ina Garten’s recipes tailored to what I had on hand.

For the Meatballs

1 pound ground chicken

1 pound ground chicken Italian sausage

1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs

3 cloves minced garlic

4 tablespoons fresh minced parsley

2 tablespoons fresh minced oregano

1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

2 eggs

2 tablespoons of milk

salt and pepper to taste

Mince the garlic, parsley and oregano. Place the meats, breadcrumbs, grated cheese, eggs, milk, garlic and herbs in a large bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Add a little more milk if the mixture is too dry and not sticking together. Add a few more bread crumbs if the mixture is too wet and falling apart. Make a “test” meat ball. Warm a skillet over medium heat. Add a little olive oil to the skillet. Fry the test meatball until done, about 4 minutes on each side. Taste the meatball and adjust the seasoning. Proceed making small meatballs with the remainder of the meat. The chicken mixture is a little sticky. Dampening your hands with cool water will help. Place the meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 350′ to set the meatballs. Set aside until ready to add to the soup.

For the Soup

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced carrot

1 cup diced celery

3 cloves minced garlic

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup dry white wine

3 quarts rich chicken stock – I used the new Pacific Foods Organic Bone Broth – It’s as close to homemade stock as you can get!

1 14.5 ounce can fire roasted, organic diced tomatoes

16 ounces small pasta, I used mini-shells

16 ounces baby kale, or chard, or spinach or endive or any combination

salt and pepper

1/2 cup freshly grated Percorino Romano cheese

Sauté the onions, carrots, celery and garlic in the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot, about 5-7 minutes. Add the white wine and stir. Add the stock and tomatoes. Bring to a slow simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Add the meatballs and continue to simmer slowly. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil and prepare the pasta. Cook about 5 minutes, drain and add to the soup.*** Return to a slow simmer. Stir in the grated cheese. About 5 minutes prior to serving, add the greens. Cook just until the greens slightly “melt” into the soup. Ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with additional grated cheese and a little minced parsley.

***Both of the recipes I referenced instruct you to cook the pasta in the soup. NEVER do that with any pasta. You will end up with a big, cloudy, sticky mess. As a matter of fact, it is often best to keep the pasta out of the soup entirely, until ready to eat. Just place a little pasta in the bowl and then pour the hot soup over it when ready to serve.

Build a big roaring fire, pour yourself a glass of Pinot Grigio, and hunker down with your hot bowl of soup. We’ve got about 5 more months of this!

Have a great evening,

Laura

Herbed Shrimp with Spicy Breadcrumbs

08/27/2014 by Laura 2 Comments

This recipe is based on a recent post by Food & Wine Daily Inspirations. It was contributed by Andrew Zimmerman. I followed the recipe closely, with only a couple of substitutions. With most of the ingredients on hand in the pantry, refrigerator or freezer, it was a quick week night meal. I know we will be making this again soon. We served it with our heirloom tomato bruschetta.

I have not used bread crumbs in pasta dishes before. In doing a little research, it is quite common in many Southern Italian pasta dishes. As with many wonderful, traditional dishes, it was created out of necessity due to the lack of availability of other ingredients. Pasta with garlicky breadcrumbs is often consumed during Lent.

Herbed Shrimp with Pasta and Spicy Breadcrumbs, Andrew Zimmerman, Food & Wine

for the Bread Crumbs

1/4 pound Italian bread, torn

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

2 tablespoons finely chopped oregano

2 garlic cloves, sliced

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 cup of olive oil (I substituted olive oil for 1/2 stick of melted butter)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt

Pepper

Heat oven to 350′. Place the dry ingredients into a food processor and pulse until breadcrumbs are fine. Drizzle in the oil. Season with Salt and pepper. Spread the crumbs on a baking sheet and toast until lightly browned – about 15 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes or so. Let cool completely before use. Breadcrumbs can be stored in an airtight container.

for the Shrimp

20 jumbo shrimp (2 pounds), shelled and deveined

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons minced parsley

2 tablespoons minced basil

1 1/2 teaspoons minced oregano

1/2 teaspoon minced thyme

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

Kosher salt

Pepper

3/4 pound capellini or angel hair pasta

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Prepare the shrimp and set aside. Chop the herbs and garlic. Place in a bowl and add the crushed red pepper, salt, pepper and the 1/2 cup of olive oil. Add the shrimp to the bowl. Stir to coat. Place the shrimp in the refrigerator until ready to broil.

Start the pasta water. Heat the broiler. Once the pasta has been added to the boiling water prepare to broil the shrimp. Place the shrimp on a pan with all the marinade. Broil the shrimp about 5 minutes and turn. Broil another 4-5 minutes.

When the pasta is done, drain the water. Return the pasta to the pot. Add the juices from the broiler pan, the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss gently.

Plate the pasta. Place the shrimp atop the pasta and top all with a generous sprinkle of bread crumbs. Serve with bruschetta or a tossed green salad.

Manicotti with Three Sauces

08/03/2014 by Laura 1 Comment

We were watching the food channel the other night; Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, I think. As we tuned in at the end of an episode, we caught a glimpse of a cannelloni with three sauces. Dave, my nephew and I all commented that it looked really good. The three sauces pesto, béchamel and marinara were layered on the cannelloni to represent the Italian flag. So when the daily conversation turned to “what shall we make for dinner” I decided we would give it a whirl. I had homemade pesto and marinara in the freezer and béchamel sauce only takes a couple of minutes. We took a quick survey of the pantry and only needed a few things. I usually use spinach and mushrooms in my filling, but since it is August and there are zucchini piled high in the veggie drawer, I decided that would be the “green” in the filling. I think my nephew went home one day too soon!

For the Manicotti

1 – 1 lb. chub of Italian Chicken Sausage

3/4 cup finely diced onion

4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

3/4 cup of small dice zucchini

2 Tablespoons freshly chopped Italian parsley

2 Tablespoons freshly chopped basil

salt and pepper

olive oil for sautéing

1/2 cup dry white wine, to deglaze the pan

1 1 lb. container whole milk ricotta

2 eggs

3/4 cup of mozzarella, finely diced

(I like diced over shredded as you get little gooey cheese puddles in the filling!)

1/4 cup grated parmesan

12-16 manicotti tubes, boiled according to package directions

For assembly and serving

2/3 cup of prepared pesto

2 cups prepared marinara sauce

1 cup béchamel sauce

Add 2-3 tablespoons olive oil to a large sauté pan and heat over medium heat. Add the sausage and break up the chunks while cooking. Add in the zuchinni, onion and garlic and continue to cook until the vegetable are soft and the meat is browned. Add the white wine, stir and let simmer about 5 minutes until the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from stove, pour into a large mixing bowl and let cool.

While the meat and vegetable mixture cools, prepare the manicotti. Boil for about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside until ready to stuff.

In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta, eggs, diced mozzarella and parmesan. Add to the cooled meat and vegetable mixture and mix well. Prepare a baking dish by lightly oiling it.

Fill the pasta tubes. I used a very small spoon to stuff them. When we finished Dave said “we should have used a pastry bag”! Of course we should have used a pastry bag….what was I thinking?

Lay the filled tubes into the baking pan. Heat the oven to 350′. Add 3-4 Tablespoons of water to the baking pan and cover tightly with foil. Bake about 20 minutes and remove from oven.

While the pasta is baking, warm the marinara sauce in a small pan on the stove, prepare the béchamel sauce and pesto.

Basic Béchamel Sauce

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup finely diced onion

2 cloves finely minced garlic

1/3 cup Wondra flour

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/4 cup grated parmesan

salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the vegetables are soft. Whisk in the flour to make a light roux. Slowly add the milk and continue to simmer until thickened. Add the cheese, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix about two tablespoons of béchamel into the 2/3 cup of pesto.

Remove the pasta from the oven. Layer the sauces on to the pasta in the desired fashion. My choice was three separate “sections”. You certainly could layer marinara, then béchamel and then pesto, one on top of the other. Return the pasta to the oven, uncovered and bake another 10 minutes. Garnish with grated cheese and freshly chopped Italian parsley, and touch up the sauces, if needed.

Buono appetiteo!

Mozarella Stuffed Meatballs with Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce and Pappardelle

04/20/2013 by Laura Leave a Comment

There are so many great recipes in Thomas Keller’s “ad hoc at home”, it is hard to choose which one to make next! With the deluge of “April Showers” here in Seattle, we are still into winter style, comfort food. As Dave and I flipped through the book, we decided to give the Stuffed Meatballs a try. That decision led to also making the delicious oven roasted tomato sauce. As always, we added in a few of our own modifications, to make this to our taste.

Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 1/2 cup minced leeks

1 1/2 cup finely chopped fennel

3 cloves garlic, minced

Kosher salt

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

3 28 oz cans imported Italian tomatoes

1 Sachet made up of:

1 bay leaf

3 thyme sprigs

10 black peppercorns

2 cloves garlic, smashed

Preheat the oven to 350′

Combine the oil, onion, fennel, leeks and garlic in large oven-proof baking dish or skillet. Sprinkle with salt. Place in oven and bake for about an hour, or until the vegetables are tender and beginning to caramelize.

Stir in the red wine vinegar and the brown sugar and return to oven to another 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, drain the canned tomatoes. Coarsely chop half of them, and process the other half in a blender or food processor. Add the chopped tomatoes, the pureed tomatoes, and the sachet to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Return to the oven for another 1 1/2 -2 hours. Stir the sauce every 1/2 hour.

We ended up adding a jar of marinara sauce to this mixture at the end of 90 minutes, as I thought the sauce was more like tomato stew, than sauce. We also ran an immersion blender through the sauce, as it was really chunky. When we make this again, we will not drain the tomatoes as extra liquid was needed. The flavor is fabulous and roasting in the oven is a great technique.

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

3 cloves minced garlic

1 pound ground chuck

8 oz ground veal

8 oz ground pork

8 oz ground sirloin

1/2 cup dried bread crumbs

3 tablespoons fresh, chopped parsley

1 large egg

4 oz fresh mozzarella cut in cubes

Warm the oil in a saute pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook about 20 minutes to soften the vegetables. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

Place the ground meats, bread crumbs, egg, parsley and cooled onions in a large bowl. Mix gently by hand until just evenly mixed.

Shape the meatballs into large round balls, about 3 ounces each. Stuff a cube of cheese into the center of each meatball.

Place the meatballs on a cooling rack set into a baking sheet.

Bake the meatballs for 15-18 minutes at 425′. Let the meatballs rest about 10 minutes. We added them to the sauce and kept warm on the stove while the pasta cooked.