Ben started biking to work again having been driving to work for the past three months. He did not say it but I think he’s doing it because of the price of gas these days. Gosh! It is $1.16 per litre today. To think that just a couple of months ago, anything over $1 were considered outrageous.
Anyway, knowing that he would want to carbo-load with his biking and all, I thought I make good old meatball spaghetti. Arkensen and Nanzaro loves that too. I like to add lots of chopped onions and garlic and with liberal sprinkle of Parmesan.
I learned to make spaghetti only when we got to Canada and did it my way. So, I am not very sure if this is the “normal” way spaghetti was made. Let me know if I am doing differently from the way you make it — I would most certainly want to learn from you.
Ingredients
Oh yeah, I like to use Mrs Dash for seasoning. It’s much more healthier using Mrs Dash compared to salt. If you have never tried it, you should check it out. It goes so well with so many types of dishes that you’ll be amazed. Here are the ingredients:
- Frozen Meatballs: I had that box in my fridge for 3 months now. Good to use that today and free up some space in the ice box. I only used half the box … still …
- Mrs Dash for seasoning
- Pasta Sauce
- Spaghettini: I used spaghettini instead of spaghetti; I like the thinner version in spaghettini,
- Onion
- Garlic
- Parsley
- Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
 Well, this is the simple step. It’s not like anyone does not know that you need to thaw and cook the frozen meatballs! Duh … |
 Chop the garlic, onion and parsley … |
 Cook the pasta in salted boiling water for 7-8 minutes. |
 I fried the onion until it’s soft and then add the garlic. Stir fry for a few seconds. Next, I added the pasta sauce and Mrs Dash seasoning. I also added a laddle of the pasta water to dilute the sauce — it gets too thick if I don’t dilute it. To balance the tartness of the tomato sauce, I added in a tablespoon of brown sugar. |
 The meatballs go into the sauce and cook for another minute or two. Actually, this is the first time I use meatballs. I normally use ground beef. Lastly, I added the parsley and turned off the stove immediately as not to overcook the parsley. |
It’s then ready to serve. I sprinkle Parmesan on top of the sauce before serving.
This has sadden me! Frozen meatballs? Good if you’re in a hurry. Quick recipe:
Buy package ground veal, pork and beef
fresh garlic, onions, bit of parsley, GOOD romano or hard parmesan cheese (not from a shaker!) cracker meal (not bread crumbs)one raw egg
Smash, chop, dice, whatever it take to make your garlic parsley (fresh) and onion invisible, mush it with the 3 meats, salt pepper, parlsey and some cracker meal and one egg. Mix by hand, do NOT over mix, just blend it all together.
Make small balls. Set aside.
Can of crushed tomatoes
a fresh nice ripe tomato
a little oregano
a little garlic (two cloves)
a nice sweet onion (food processed to be invisble)
Now this is basic sauce. Put 2 Tblspoon olive oil in bottom of pan, add can of crushed tomatoes, cut the fresh tomato into pieces and crush it in your hand into the pot, add onion, garlic, oregano. Drop in the raw meatballs On very low heat cook until tasty .
You need to add your own personal touches while it’s cooking, maybe pancetta (bacon) maybe hot Italian sausage, maybe basil, etc.
the possibility are endless!
Oh wow, Maritza. Thanks a bunch for the recipe. It seems like a LOT of work but one of these days I might just make it your way. I like your recipe. Thanks again!
Suanne
I’m going to try to write it more clearly and use photos and post it on my blog, I’ll let you know when. It’s not a difficult recipe, it’s all done in one pot.
I realized how hard it is to write a recipe when I did this. I give you a lot of credit, yours are so wonderful and easy to follow.
Hi Maritza:
Great, I will most certainly want to learn from you. Thanks for your repeated visits — it is people like you that makes it worthwhile for me to keep on blogging so religiously. 🙂
Suanne
hello! rember to use “Parmigiano Reggiano”, the real parmesan. other cheese take advantage of their name, no quality assure. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parmigiano_Reggiano#Other_cheeses_erroneously_named_Parmesan
I like the chopsticks with the endresult 😀
Hi Chrystal, come to think of it, everyone in my family eats spaghetti with chopsticks except Arkensen. 🙂