Recently, I was looking for carrot recipes and ran across this one for Caramelized Carrot Risotto. Since roasted carrots are one of my favorite winter side dishes and risotto is my favorite rice dish, I knew I had to make this recipe. While not a quick dish to make, it is definitely comfort food. The flavors are simple, mild and perfect for springtime. Husband called it Creamy Goodness…I totally agree!

Caramelized Carrot Risotto
-recipe from Sunset Magazine

It’s made the traditional way, but this risotto hits some extraordinary flavor notes, mainly because of two not-so-common risotto ingredients. One is creamy sweet mascarpone cheese. The other is carrots, slow cooked in a butter-oil bath until their sugars caramelize.

Note: To make this risotto even prettier, you can cut the carrots into 1/4-in. dice (it’s time-consuming, but makes the carrots look like little jewels). Mascarpone — a rich Italian-style cream cheese available at specialty, gourmet, and Whole Foods stores — can be replaced with an equal amount of heavy cream.

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings as a side dish or first course

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
6 medium carrots, peeled and chopped as finely and evenly as possible (about 3 cups; see Notes)
About 1/2 tsp. salt
1 teaspoon sugar
5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup minced onion
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese (I used heavy cream)
1/4 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese, plus 1/2 cup for garnish
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus 1 tbsp. for garnish
1 teaspoon roughly chopped fresh thyme
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Heat 1 tbsp. oil and 1 tbsp. butter over medium heat in a medium heavy-bottomed pot; add carrots and stir with a wooden spoon until well coated. Add 1/2 cup water, 1/2 tsp. salt, and the sugar; cover and cook 5 minutes, or until tender. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until water evaporates and carrots are just starting to brown, a few minutes more. Reserve half of the carrots. In a blender, purée other half with 3/4 cup hot water.

Bring chicken broth to a simmer and keep at a simmer, covered, over low heat.

Heat remaining oil and butter over medium heat in same (unwashed) pot used for carrots. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add rice, stirring with a wooden spoon to coat rice with oil, 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring, until wine evaporates. Add carrot purée and cook, stirring, until mixture no longer looks soupy.

Add 1/2 cup hot broth, stirring often, until rice absorbs most of the liquid. Repeat process, adding 1/2 cup broth at a time and stirring often till each addition is absorbed before adding the next, until rice is al dente (about 20 minutes; at least 1 cup broth will remain).

Fold in reserved carrots (save 2 tbsp. for garnish), mascarpone, 1/4 cup parmesan, 1 tbsp. parsley, and the thyme. Add up to 1 cup broth (1/4 cup at a time) to loosen the risotto. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.

Sprinkle each bowl of risotto with some of remaining 1/2 cup parmesan, remaining 1 tbsp. parsley, and reserved carrots. Serve immediately.

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Tags: Arborio rice, caramelized carrots, Italian, rice, risotto, vegetarian

Really Good Lasagna may be a goofy name for a recipe but it’s true…it really is good! Instead of using ricotta cheese like many lasagna recipes, this one layers lasagna noodles with a meat sauce, a creamy Parmesan white sauce, and Fontina cheese.  The resulting lasagna is creamier than the version most of us have had. It’s not just good, it’s GREAT! (Apologies for the photo…it doesn’t do the lasagna justice!)

For the meat sauce, if you don’t have prosciutto, don’t bother running to the store for it. The sauce is still delicious without it. Also, I usually use 1 lb. ground beef instead of meat loaf mix.

I found a type of fresh lasagna noodles that I like so I use those instead of the oven-ready type. When making the lasagna this time, I got distracted while layering the ingredients so it became a free for all…the layers weren’t exactly as the recipe stated but it’s a casserole so it all turned out fine. I served the lasagna with roasted winter squash, green salad, and sauteed broccoli with pine nuts and a splash of balsamic vinegar. YUMM!

Really Good Lasagna
-recipe from Perfect Recipes for Having People Over by Pam Anderson

I’ve developed a lasagna that’s simple yet exceptional: casual enough to serve at a potluck, friendly enough to take to a neighbor, refined enough to serve as part of a sit-down dinner.

Instead of having the usual overbearing red sauce and blobs of ricotta cheese, it’s layered with two sauces – a rich, meaty Bolognese and a bold white sauce punched up with garlic and Parmesan cheese. And the more assertive Fontina takes the place of the mozzarella. The lasagna may be easy to make, but it’s hardly ordinary. Serves 12.

Bolognese-Style Sauce
3 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, cut into small dice
1 small carrot, peeled and cut into small dice
1 small celery stalk, cut into small dice
2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into small dice
1 pound meat loaf mix (or ground turkey or ground beef)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
1 cup whole milk
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes

Parmesan White Sauce
2 1/2 cups (2% or whole) milk
1 cup chicken broth
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black Pepper

Lasagna
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
15 oven-ready (rippled-style, such as Ronzoni) lasagna noodles (from two 8-ounce packages)
8 ounces Fontina cheese, grated (about 2 1/2 cups)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

To make Bolognese sauce: Heat butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook until just soft, about 3 minutes. Add prosciutto and saute until vegetables are fully softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add ground meat and cook, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste and stirring frequently, until it loses its raw color, about 3 minutes. Add vermouth and simmer until almost evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes longer. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally and adding water as necessary, until reduced to a thick but not gloppy sauce, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat.

To make white sauce: Combine milk, broth, and garlic in a 2-quart Pyrex measuring cup or a microwave-safe bowl, cover with a small plate, and microwave until steamy hot, 8 to 10 minutes (or heat in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat).

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When foaming subsides, whisk in flour until well blended. Pour in hot milk all at once; whisk vigorously until sauce is smooth and starts to bubble and thicken. Stir in Parmesan and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and place plastic wrap directly on sauce’s surface.

To assemble and bake lasagna: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425° degrees.

Dissolve salt in 2 quarts hot tap water in a 13″x9″ baking dish. Add noodles and soak until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain noodles and stack loosely. (Noodles may stick together as they dry but will pull apart easily.) Wipe baking dish dry.

Smear 1/4 cup white sauce over bottom of baking dish. Top with a layer of 3 noodles, then 2/3 cup white sauce, 1 cup meat sauce, 1/2 cup Fontina, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Repeat 3 times, then make a final layer with remaining noodles, white sauce, and cheeses. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake until very hot throughout, about 30 minutes. Leaving pan on rack, remove foil and turn oven to broil. Watching carefully, broil lasagna until cheese and sauce are spotty brown. Remove from oven and let stand to set, 10 to 15 minutes. Cut into portions and serve.

Tags: Bechamel sauce, Bolognese sauce, Fontina cheese, Italian, lasagna, meat sauce, parmesan cheese, Parmesan white sauce

This recipe for Pasta Bolognese is from a chef at the Culinary Institute of America, the world’s premiere culinary college. It’s rich, hearty, meaty and a perfect pasta dish for these cool, autumn evenings.

The recipe calls for 6 ounces of pancetta but my container only had 4 oz., so that’s what I used…I didn’t want to spend another $4 dollars for a few more ounces. Also, I used 1 lb. ground beef instead of a mixture of pork, beef and veal. Next time I’ll add sauteed mushrooms to the sauce, which would be a delicious addition. Serve with a big green salad or your favorite veggies and you’ve got yourself a meal. Enjoy!

Pasta Bolognese Epicurious
-recipe from Epicurious.com

This recipe was shared with Epicurious by Chef Joseph W. DiPerri of The Culinary Institute of America.

Yield: Makes 6 servings

2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes with juice or crushed tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 ounces pancetta or 6 slices bacon, finely chopped

1/4 pound ground pork (not lean)
1/4 pound ground beef chuck (not lean)
1/4 pound ground veal
1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 carrot, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound small pasta such as orecchiette or rotini

Garnish: Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

If using whole tomatoes, in blender or food processor, purée tomatoes with juice. Set aside.

In large, heavy pot over moderate heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add pancetta and sauté until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add beef, pork, and veal and sauté, breaking up meat with back of spoon, until browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Add onion and carrot and sauté until vegetables are tender, 5 to 6 minutes.

Stir in red wine and simmer, scraping up browned bits stuck to bottom of pan, until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, cream, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to moderately low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened and brick-red in color, approximately 30 minutes.

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until almost tender. Drain well and toss with sauce. Serve with grated cheese.

Tags: Beef, carrot, heavy cream, Italian, meat sauce, onion, orecchiette, pancetta, pasta bolognese, pork, Quick Cooking, red wine, rotini, tomato sauce

Words cannot describe how much I love this sandwich…it’s one of my favorite sandwiches EVER! You may be thinking to yourself that it’s just a sandwich. But that’s where you’re wrong. It’s not just a sandwich…it’s a REALLY, REALLY GOOD SANDWICH: Ciabbata bread spread with a delicious basil mayonnaise and layered with ripe tomato slices, fresh mozzarella, smoky bacon, romaine lettuce, fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. If you’re not drooling yet, you should be! 

First things first: you must start with top-quality tomatoes. It would be an insult to the sandwich to use the tasteless tomatoes found in most grocery stores. This recipe is best when using perfect, garden-ripe tomatoes. And since we’re just at the beginning of October, you can still find good tomatoes at farm stands.

On to the basil mayo…it’s absolutely wonderful! I usually double or triple that part of the recipe so I’ll have extra for recipes later in the week (sandwiches, chicken, fish). If you don’t feel like messing with bacon, the sandwich is also great with slices of salami or other Italian deli meats. Or leave out the meat entirely and you’ve got a delicious vegetarian sandwich. If you can’t find fresh mozzarella, sliced provolone would be a good substitute.

The recipe calls for a loaf of ciabatta. As with any sandwich served on this type of bread, the crustier and chewier the bread, the harder it will be to eat the sandwich. Personally, I’m not a fan of sandwiches that have a delicious crusty bread for a foundation but with each bite, the contents of the sandwich come squishing out of every side possible. What good is the delicious, crusty bread when you’ve got sandwich innards all over your lap? I prefer a bread that is sturdier than regular sandwich bread but not as crusty/chewy as some of the artisan breads. I found a loaf of ciabbata in the Winco bakery (Winco label on it) that is perfect: chewy but not too chewy for a sandwich. I’ve used ciabatta rolls before, too. 

As you can see from the photo, I took the picture before I cut the loaf into individual sandwiches. Serving size and amount of servings will depend on the size of the loaf you start with. I got 8 pieces out of my sandwich loaf.  

Caprese BLT
-recipe from Cook’s Illustrated Magazine

This sandwich builds on the basic BLT with the addition of Italian flavors like mozzarella, basil, and balsamic vinegar. Many supermarket bakeries carry ciabatta. An Italian loaf can be used instead, but be sure to discard the interior of the bread, as directed. Serves 4 to 6.

2 medium tomatoes , sliced thin 
 Table salt  
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil  
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar  
1 loaf ciabatta  
1 1/3 cups fresh packed basil leaves  
1/3 cup mayonnaise  
2 teaspoons lemon juice  
1 clove garlic , minced 
1/8 teaspoon hot sauce  
8 slices bacon , cooked until crisp, drained, and crumbled 
4 leaves romaine lettuce  
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese , sliced thin 

Place tomato slices on several layers of paper towels and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let sit for 15 minutes, then press with additional paper towels to extract excess moisture. Mix oil and vinegar together in small bowl. Slice bread in half horizontally and use fingers to remove and discard all but 1/2 inch of interior crumb.

Puree 1 cup basil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, hot sauce, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in blender or food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides several times. Spread basil mayonnaise on both cut sides of bread. Sprinkle bacon on bottom half of bread and place romaine on top of bacon. Shingle tomatoes and mozzarella alternately over romaine and drizzle with oil and vinegar mixture. Place remaining 1/3 cup basil in single layer on top and replace top half of bread. Cut crosswise into 2-inch sandwiches. Serve.

Test Kitchen Discoveries:
• Make a basil-flavored spread by pureeing lots of fresh basil leaves with store-bought mayonnaise. A little lemon juice, garlic, and hot sauce round out the spread’s flavor.
• Sprinkle the sliced tomatoes with salt and let the slices sit on paper towels for a few minutes to draw off much of the tomatoes’ liquid. This step concentrates the flavor and ensures that the sandwich won’t become too soggy.
• Use a crisp-crusted, peasant-style loaf like ciabatta, which many supermarkets and bakeries carry.

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Tags: bacon, basil, basil mayonnaise, caprese BLT, ciabatta, fresh mozzarella, Italian, lettuce, picnic, romaine lettuce, sandwich, tailgating, tomato

If you like mushrooms, you’re going to LOVE this risotto! Like all risotto recipes, it does take some effort but, boy, is it worth it: it’s hearty, earthy and delicious!

I basically followed the recipe with a few minor substitutions. I used turkey Italian sausage and substituted Marsala wine for the Madeira. For the mushrooms, I used 6 oz. portobello, 8 oz. crimini and 4 oz. shiitake…a total of 18 ounces. I sauteed the onion and garlic in 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) of butter instead of a whole stick. If you can’t find Asiago cheese, just use Parmesan. A drizzle of truffle oil would put this risotto over the top!

Italian Sausage and Wild Mushroom Risotto
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine from Tuscany, Salt Lake City, UT

At the restaurant, this dish is served as a starter. It would also make a great main course for four. Makes 8 first-course servings.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound Italian sweet sausage, casings removed, crumbled into 1/2-inch pieces
8 ounces portobello mushrooms, stemmed, dark gills scraped out, caps diced
10 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, diced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 1/2 cups Madeira (I used Marsala)

6 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (I used 1/2 stick, or 4 tablespoons)
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups arborio rice or other medium-grain rice (about 13 ounces)
1 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and sauté until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add all mushrooms, thyme, and oregano and sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup Madeira; boil until almost absorbed, about 1 minute. Set aside.

Bring stock to simmer in large saucepan; remove from heat and cover to keep hot. Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice; stir 2 minutes. Add remaining 1 cup Madeira; simmer until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup hot stock; simmer until almost absorbed, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, adding more stock by cupfuls, stirring often and allowing most stock to be absorbed before adding more, about 25 minutes. Stir in sausage mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowl. Pass cheese separately.

Tags: arborio, Asiago cheese, chicken broth, Italian, italian sausage, Madeira, Main Dish, Marsala, onion, oregano, portobello mushrooms, rice, risotto, shiitake mushrooms, Side Dish, thyme, wild mushrooms

I know it’s officially Spring but it’s still soup weather here in the Pacific Northwest. I made this delicious and healthy Chicken and Vegetable Minestrone recently to combat the chilly weather. It was exactly what I was craving!

I substituted white beans for the garbanzo beans (chickpeas), 1 can of diced tomatoes for the fresh chopped tomatoes, and dried Italian herbs for the fresh ones. I omitted the cabbage and used extra carrots. Serve with crusty bread or rolls. Yumm!

Chunky Chicken Vegetable Minestrone
-recipe from Fresh Every Day: More Great Recipes From Foster’s Market by Sara Foster

Soup is the ultimate comfort food. Be sure and make extra so you can share with friends. Serves 8 to 10 (makes about 3 quarts).

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 carrots diced
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
3 plum tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 summer squash (yellow or zucchini), diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups chicken broth
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 cups shredded cooked chicken (meat from a 3 1/2 – 4 pound roasted or poached chicken)
2 teaspoons seal salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 cup small shape pasta (elbow macaroni or bow tie)
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup chopped green cabbage
2 cups fresh spinach, stems removed, washed and drained
8 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or marjoram leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook and stir about 10 minutes. Add the carrots, bell pepper, tomatoes and squash and cook and stir another 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sit a minute longer.

Add the broth, chickpeas, chicken, salt and pepper and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered for about 1 hour.

Add the pasta, green beans and cabbage and bring the soup back to a low boil. reduce the heat and simmer for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. add the spinach, basil and oregano and remove the soup from the heat and season to taste. Serve hot topped with the freshly grated Parmesan.

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Tags: Chicken, Italian, minestrone, soup, Vegetable

This hearty pasta sauce is perfect for dinner on a cool Autumn evening. Although it takes a bit of planning, it’s great for entertaining because most of the meal can be done ahead of time. I made the sauce the night before I planned to serve it, then all I had to do was reheat the sauce and cook the pasta.

The lamb shanks are braised in a tomato-based sauce until the lamb is tender and falling off the bone. After I removed the cooked lamb shanks from the ragù, I skimmed the oil off the top of the sauce and discarded it. Once the shanks were cool enough to handle, I pulled the meat off the bones, cut it into small pieces, then added it back into the sauce. I tossed the delicious ragùwith penne pasta, garnished each serving with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and served with a green salad and crusty bread. Husband was a happy man!

Lamb Shank & Sweet Pepper Ragù
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine
 
This recipe, known as Ragù di Stinco d’Agnello con Peperoni in the southern-Italian region of Abruzzi, where it originated, benefits from the addition of bell peppers; their sweetness provides a perfect counterpart to the gaminess of the shanks. Yields 6 to 7 cups ragù.

1 28-oz. can imported Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
4 lb. lamb shanks (about 2 large or 3 medium), trimmed of excess fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
2 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and cut into small dice (about 2-1/2 cups)
1 cup dry white wine
3/4 to 1-1/2 cups homemade or low-salt canned beef broth

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 300°F.

Put the can of tomatoes and their juices in a food processor and process until puréed. Using a spatula or the back of a ladle, press the purée through a medium-mesh sieve set over a bowl to remove the seeds

Pat the lamb shanks dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Spread the flour in a wide, shallow dish and dredge the shanks lightly in the flour.

Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a 7- to 8-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the shanks and cook, turning a few times, until they are golden brown on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the shanks to a large plate, discard the fat, and clean the pan with paper towels.

Heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until it’s pale gold and soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, bay leaf, and pepper flakes, stir for 1 minute, and add the bell peppers. Cook, stirring frequently, until the peppers begin to color and soften a little, 4 to 5 minutes.

Return the shanks to the pan and stir them around with the pepper mixture. Increase the heat to high, add the wine, and stir until the wine is reduced approximately by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, 3/4 cup of broth, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Stir until the liquid begins to simmer.

Turn off the heat, cover the pan tightly with a lid or heavy-duty aluminum foil, and put it in the oven. Cook, turning the shanks every half hour or so, until the meat begins to fall off the bone, 2 to 2-1/2 hours.

Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the shanks to a cutting board. When the shanks are cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bones, discarding any fat and connective tissue. Cut the meat into bite-size pieces. Stir the meat into the sauce and bring it back to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring a few times, until the sauce has a medium-thick consistency and a rich, reddish color, 5 to 10 minutes. If the sauce seems too dry, stir in some or all of the remaining broth. Discard the bay leaf, adjust the seasoning with salt, and turn off the heat.

Make Ahead Tips:
The ragù keeps for up to 5 days in the fridge and up to 1 month in the freezer. Transfer the hot ragù to a large bowl and refrigerate it, uncovered, stirring well every 20 minutes, until its completely cool. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic and refrigerate it, or freeze it in small containers or zip-top bags.

Serving Suggestions:
Once you’ve made your rich ragù, all that’s left is to combine it with pasta. To serve four to six people, you’ll need 4 cups ragu, 1 Tbs. unsalted butter, 1 lb. dried or fresh pasta (cooked and drained), and 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano. Heat the ragù (either in the Dutch oven you used to cook it or in a 12-in. skillet, if reheating) over medium-high heat. Add the butter and then pour in the pasta and Parmigiano or pecorino. Toss over medium-high heat until the pasta and sauce are well combined. Serve immediately.

Short, full-bodied dried pastas like rigatoni and orecchiette work great with ragù, because their nooks and ridges capture the sauce. If you want to use fresh pasta, a wide shape like papperdelle can stand up to a hearty sauce. And a ragù is a good excuse to cook gnocchi, too.

Tags: Italian, Lamb, lamb shank and sweet pepper ragu, Sauce

My father-in-law (a meat & potatoes guy) came over for dinner the other night and I wanted to make him a nice meal–something meaty yet something he wouldn’t make for himself. I decided to make meatballs and spaghetti. This meal was truly a sight to behold: giant meatballs perfectly positioned on top of a plate of tomatoey spaghetti and garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Oh my…it was so good! 

I substituted Italian sausage for the ground veal and ground pork. The recipe calls for kosher salt, a coarser textured salt than table salt. Generally, you should use less table salt if you’re substituting it for kosher salt because a teaspoon of table salt holds more salt than a teaspoon of kosher salt. Since I didn’t have kosher salt on hand, I used 1 1/4 teaspoons of table salt in the meatballs and 1 teaspoon of it in the sauce. Next time I’d probably just use 1 teaspoon of table salt in the meatballs because there’s salt in the Italian sausage and salt in the Parmesan cheese. I divided the meat mixture into 16 large meatballs. It helps to have the meatballs rolled and set aside before you start frying them. Otherwise your first batch might get too brown if you’re busy rolling meatballs and not paying attention to the ones browning. I used my big Oster Electric Skillet to brown the meatballs and it worked perfectly because of it’s size and it’s adjustable temperature control.

For the sauce, I used a 35-oz can of San Marzano tomatoes, a variety of plum tomatoes that are stronger and sweeter in flavor and less acidic than roma tomatoes. The brand I used was Cento, but any good-quality canned plum tomatoes will do. Since I was using a 35-oz can of tomatoes (instead of the 28-oz size), I also added a bit more parsley and garlic. I only cooked a pound of pasta and there was a perfect amount of sauce for it. If you like lots of sauce and are cooking 1.5 pounds pasta then I recommend doubling the sauce recipe (you may have a little extra sauce but that’s ok). This was a great dinner that everyone enjoyed (my 5-year-old on up to Grandpa). I’m sure my Italian friend Mikki and her family would be proud of me!

Real Meatballs and Spaghetti
- recipe from Barefoot Contessa Family Style by Ina Garten

Makes 6 servings.

For the meatballs:
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)
1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 extra-large egg, beaten
Vegetable oil
Olive oil

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup good red wine, such as Chianti
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For serving:
1 1/2 pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
Freshly grated Parmesan

Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.

Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4-inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don’t crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don’t clean the pan.

For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan

Tags: Beef, Comfort Food, Italian, italian sausage, meatballs, Pasta, spaghetti