My Secret Love Affair

By: Sarah

 

Oh no, I’m in love with you.
Something you may not know, Spaghetti was my first love. Still is. I’m still obsessed with it. I cook spaghetti almost every week, for me, for us. It’s just the dish Glenn and I enjoy the most — not the steak and fries, not even the Perry’s famous pork chop. It had never occurred to me that I would be so attached to spaghetti. Back in my Saudi days, a friend taught me the easiest, uncomplicated and fail-proof approach to cooking spaghetti, then it got me hooked (I love it when that happens, it’s the way that it slowly simmers to a rich and velvety finish just gets to me). Few ingredients, you have got to try this, it got me hooked. It was brilliant, it was a flash to prepare. Boil spaghetti in salted water to al dente, chop onions, garlic and green bell pepper, brown the ground beef, and a bottle of Jufran banana ketchup. That is it. And omg, that was the sweetest Filipino spaghetti ever. Of course, everything in life changes, so my relationship with spaghetti has stayed the same, but I love to experiment with all things spaghetti — spaghetti bolognese,
spaghetti blanco/alfredo, spaghetti marinara, spaghetti and meatballs, spaghetti carbonara, and the list goes on. Even my Pinoy spaghetti now gets a wonderful makeover, thanks to additions of hotdog and cream, even condensed milk. You can have so much with spaghetti, spaghetti many ways…easy to eat, easy to make, impossible to mess up (that’s pure love!).
Let’s make my truly all-time favorite Spaghetti dish.
Plenty options for a quick spaghetti meal — Olive Garden, Pepperoni’s, Carrabas’s Italian Grill, to name a few. Getting a consistent delicious spaghetti though from restaurants can be tough. Different cooks, a busy kitchen could result in overcooking pasta, spaghetti tastes flat or one-dimensional, or overly acidic. Most times I give up and do my “thing” instead — from cooking the noodles al dente in heavily salted water, simmer my meat sauce low and slow, and building savory depths with aromatics and umame goodness. My spaghetti has to be creamy, with a good amount of sauce and yes, lots of grated cheese on top.
1. Boil the Noodles. Start by boiling enough water (start it cold and wait until a vigorous rolling boil is achieved). Salt the water, it should taste like the sea. Our bodies love the taste of salt, that even just having to eat plain noodles is tasty enough (that simple, nutty flavor of the wheat). No need to add oil to the water. Stir, stir it a lot. Get to that magical spot between firm and soft — al dente ( that chewy texture…that really sounds romantic). Make sure to pull the noodles out of the water 1-2 minutes before the package directions instruct (since you will finish cooking it directly in the sauce). Reserve some of that starchy pasta water for that lovely silky coating.
2. Cook the Sauce. I like to take my time (enjoying the process) with making and having so much with the sauce. Onions, green bell pepper, carrots and celery stalks (sometimes only) are chopped. Brown the meats (if budget permits, do half ground beef and half Italian sausage) in large pot or a wide, high-sided skillet on your stove, season with salt and pepper. Drain the fat, oh yes please (but avoid pouring liquid fat down your sink and cause expensive pipe clogs). Add some oil to saute the aromatics (the so- called holy trinity). Open up a spot in the center of the pan and add tomato paste, allowing the hottest part of the pan to incorporate new flavor and fragrant, then stir all that together and cook for 2 minutes. Add back the browned beef, the seasonings, including the beef bouillon cubes and bay leaves (don’t forget to remove them once sauce is done), cover and wait for that to come to a simmer. Uncover. Toss in a dry red (remember the rule, use a wine you would enjoy drinking, I like Merlot, it’s saying Hello, but Cabernet Sauvignon works well too) to deglaze, allow to reduce and lift those concentrated, savory flavors (hear the way it sizzles dramatically). Pour in tomatoes and some more pasta water, and let the liquids reduce down. Simmer at least 30 minutes to let the flavors come together (like saying, marry me now). Now for more magic, vigorously swirl in a tablespoon or two of unsalted butter, two tablespoons of ketchup, two tablespoons
of grated Parmesan cheese and few teaspoons of white granulated sugar. Check on the sauce and stir it a couple of times. Taste and adjust.
3. Toss and Serve. It’s plating time. Drain the noodles, DON’T rinse it. Transfer directly into the simmering meat sauce, tossing well so the noodles absorb the complex flavors and well seasoned goodness. Top with grated Parmesan cheese (freshly grated elevates and is the ultimate flavor bomb). Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or basil. Serve with garlic cheese bread.
SPAGHETTI AND MEAT SAUCE
Enjoy a steaming plate of classic spaghetti with a rich, savory sauce. This nice and simple spaghetti recipe will not disappoint.
Preparation Time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
Bold, Beefy and Meaty:
2 lb Ground Beef 80/20 (or equal parts beef & Italian Sausage), browned with salt and black pepper
Holy Trinity Aromatics sauteed in oil:
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
minced garlic (some like it more)
1 medium carrot, finely chopped (optional) 1 celery stalk, finely chopped (optional)
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
Pretty Tempting Seasonings:
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
red pepper flakes (optional)
2 bay leaves
Rich and complex additions:
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 28 oz can tomato sauce
white granulated sugar
(start with 1 tablespoon)
1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons ketchup
Grated Parmesan cheese,
added to sauce and for serving
Fresh parsley or basil for garnish
For the pasta: 1 package spaghetti salt for the pasta water
Using deep skillet over medium heat, brown the beef, season with salt and pepper, break it apart, drain grease. Add onions, minced garlic, green bell pepper, carrots and celery, saute until onion is soft and translucent. Add tomato paste and cook 2 minute, stirring constantly to coat everything. Add back browned beef and seasonings. Deglaze with red wine, allowing it to reduce and then add tomatoes. Mix well and simmer for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors come together, adding more pasta water if needed. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching. Taste the sauce and adjust. Remove bay leaves and toss in cooked spaghetti and top with Parmesan cheese and garnish with chopped parsley or basil. Serve with warm garlic bread.
Now, did I make you hungry?