Eat Something Good

spaghetti & meat sauce

I’ve blogged about my meat sauce twice.  I’m doing it again because I wanted you guys to see the pic.  The first time I made this dish, it didn’t contain nutmeg.  I think freshly grated nutmeg is a key ingredient.  It wouldn’t taste the same without it.  I don’t go too heavy on it but I definitely taste it.   It took me years to figure out what that delicious flavor was.  When I finally stumbled across it one day, I was psyched, very psyched.  Yes, I had finally cracked the code.   The restaurant that served spaghetti & meat sauce (or bolognese sauce, I think) is the benchmark I compare all meat sauces to.  The place is called Rocco’s (New City, NY).  Obviously, it’s Italian.  And it was some good Italian.  And their portions were huge.  I’d manage to finish all of my meal which usually consisted of pasta, but man, I was in serious pain afterwards and always damned myself.  Their lasagne was like two large portions of one large piece.  Nobody would be hungry after that.  So, I’d be unpleasantly full for hours.  Sometimes after a late dinner at Rocco’s, I’d wake up full the next morning.  Like my body was still digesting it.  But I’d go back there and eat it any day.  Any.

Okay, this is where I tell you what I did.  We’d run out of our home made sauce a while ago.  It’s always an upsetting day when we run out but I’m getting used to it.  Besides, my easy tomato sauce is pretty good.  All I do is sautee garlic in olive oil, add bay leaves and a little s & p. Then I add a can of crushed tomatoes.  I usually use Red Pack brand in the red can.  It’s the flavor I’m used to and has some of the characteristics of a sauce made from fresh plum tomatoes.  I don’t think it has high notes though and it’s richer.  I think there’s a bit of sourness to it as well.  I let it simmer for as long as it takes to brown some ground beef. About the ground beef.  At first, I went crazy trying to break up every little piece trying to imitate Rocco’s meat sauce.  Then I got lazier and let many stay.  And from what I remember, I’ve always liked big hunks of meat here and there.  But still, if I have the energy, I break em up as much as possible.  Over the browning meat, I grate some nutmeg and add s & p.  Then I pour the simmering sauce over it.  (Note: If your sauce is particularly liquidy, you may want to reduce it til all the liquid evaporates.  Careful not to make the sauce too thick because it will continue to cook in the pan along with the ground beef.)  After the meat sauce simmers for like, I don’t know, 10-20 minutes or longer, I adjust the seasoning and may grate some more nutmeg over it.  Then yes, comes the pasta.  I’ve served it over ziti, penne, cavatappi, linguine, linguine fini (thinner than regular), etc…Our preferred pasta, however, is thin spaghetti.  And the great part about thin spaghetti is that it cooks up in like 6-7 minutes.  When you’re starving, it’s a bonus.  I add plenty of salt to the water before I cook it up.  Finally, pour some meat sauce over the pasta and grab a fork and maybe add some freshly grated romano or parmesan cheese.  Next, get yourself a crusty loaf of Italian bread (we bought the big round kind and had them slice it) - and get to twirlin’.  Take huge bites, even make noises like Mmmm, then grab a slice of bread that you’ve buttered (we used Land O’ Lakes spreadable butter) and switch off between the two over and over again til you’re pleasantly full or intensely full which is the point Steve & I take it to.  *oink*

Of course Steve & I enjoyed the meal.  We used to have it a lot more often.  I guess that’s when we had our homemade tomato sauce.  It’s hard to resist making an easy meal that doesn’t cost much either.  Everybody wins with my simple spaghetti and meat sauce.  We liked it so much that we both totally indulged.  I had seconds and boy did we get ill.  The chocolate chip cookies right before bed didn’t help either.  I had to take a zantac but it was worth it.  I’d do it again.   Alright guys, take care and as always, Eat Something Good!