At least once a week I make a meaty pasta dish to have in the fridge for husband to take for lunch or to have on hand for a quick dinner on busy days. This recipe for Sesame Noodles with Chicken is in the rotation.

I added some shredded cabbage and carrots (coleslaw mix) to the noodles for more veggies. Although you may not use all the dressing when you first toss the noodles with it, don’t throw it out because the noodles soak up the dressing as they sit so you may end up needing to add more. Enjoy!

Sesame Noodles with Chicken
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine

 This Chinese-restaurant favorite becomes a main dish with the addition of browned chicken tenders. For more color and flavor, add some thinly sliced red pepper or grated carrots. Serves six.
 
Kosher salt
1 lb. dried plain or whole-grain spaghetti
6 Tbs. Asian sesame oil
4 medium cloves garlic, peeled
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup less-sodium ginger-flavored soy sauce
6 Tbs. rice vinegar
1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
1-1/2 lb. chicken tenders
2 tsp. peanut oil
Freshly ground black pepper
6 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until the pasta is al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until cool. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl, and toss with 1 Tbs. of the sesame oil.

In a food processor, pulse the garlic until roughly chopped. Add the remaining 5 Tbs. sesame oil, and the peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and 1-1/2 tsp. salt. Process until smooth, stopping as necessary to scrape down the bowl, about 30 seconds. Set aside.

Trim off any exposed tendon ends from the wide tips of the tenders, if necessary. Season the tenders with 3/4 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Heat the peanut oil in a in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Cook the tenders until well browned on both sides and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and slice crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Add the chicken to the spaghetti along with half of the scallions.

Pour about 1-1/4 cups of the dressing over the pasta and chicken and toss to coat. Add more dressing to taste—you may not need to use it all. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with the remaining scallions, and serve.

Tags: Asian, chicken tenders, Chinese, Pasta, peanut butter, rice vinegar, Sesame Noodles with Chicken, sesame oil, soy wauce, spaghetti

Because I love Italian sausage, I always try to have some on hand so I can make simple pasta dishes like this one. The ragù gets flavor from the sausage, a little red wine, garlic and some fresh basil.  And, if you make it a day ahead, it’s a perfect meal for entertaining because all you have to do is reheat the sauce and cook the pasta. The recipe says it makes 6 first-course servings so you’ll probably want to double the recipe if you’re serving it as a main dish. Serve with a big green salad and some crusty bread and you’ve got a delicious meal!

Penne in Country Ragù
-recipe from epicurious.com

What to drink: Sangiovese wines are a classic pairing with robust pasta dishes. Try the Cantina di Montalcino 1999 Poggio del Sasso, a good-value Super Tuscan.

Yield: Makes 6 first-course servings

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces Italian sweet sausage, casings removed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 cups finely chopped canned whole Italian-style plum tomatoes
1 cup (or more) low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup Chianti or other dry red wine
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

12 ounces penne pasta
1 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage, garlic, and crushed red pepper; sauté until brown, breaking up with fork, about 6 minutes. Add carrots, onion, and celery; sauté until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Mix in tomatoes. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 cup broth and wine; simmer uncovered until liquid is slightly reduced, about 15 minutes. Add basil; cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if liquid evaporates too quickly and stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. Simmer uncovered until ragù thickens to desired consistency, stirring often, about 10 minutes longer. Season lightly with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot. Mix in ragù, 1/2 cup cheese, and 2 tablespoons oil. Add cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls to moisten, if desired. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide pasta among plates. Serve, passing 1/2 cup cheese separately.

Tags: canned Italian-style plum tomatoes, chianti, country ragu, fresh basil, italian sausage, Pasta, penne

I ran across this recipe for Chinese Noodle and Chicken Salad the other day and thought it would be a great pasta salad dish to make for the weekend: tender noodles, crunchy snow peas and a creamy, peanutty Asian-inspired dressing. Yumm! Husband loved it, too. 

You’ll notice that this recipe serves 20 people, which is great for a potluck or when feeding a crowd. I didn’t need to serve that many so I made half a recipe. Heck, you could even make a 1/4 recipe if you wanted to (you’re on your own with the math).

For the salad, feel free to roast your own chicken or buy one at the grocery store (I used a Costco roasted chicken). Also,  I wanted to bump up the veggie content of the salad so I added about a half bag of shredded cole slaw mix (cabbage and carrots). If you can’t find snow peas or they’re expensive, you could substitute a whole bag of shredded coleslaw mix (for a half recipe of the noodle salad) and some thinly sliced red bell pepper.

For the dressing, I added a tablespoon or so of chopped fresh ginger to the other ingredients and processed until smooth. I liked the extra flavor and zing that the nobby root added. 

Chinese Noodle and Chicken or Turkey Salad
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine

Leftover roasted chicken or turkey makes this rendition of a popular salad a snap to prepare. It’s made spicy by combining chilies with linguine, green onions, snow peas, cilantro and a peanut dressing.

Yield: Serves 20

Salad
2 pounds linguine
1/4 cup oriental sesame oil
2 2 1/2-pound roasted chickens, skinned, boned, shredded or 12 cups cooked turkey
4 bunches green onions, sliced
2 bunches fresh cilantro, chopped
4 jalapeño chilies, seeded, deveined, minced
1 1/4 pounds snow peas, stringed, thinly sliced lengthwise

Dressing
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned style or freshly ground)
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup oriental sesame oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped

Napa cabbage leaves

For salad:
Cook linguine in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Rinse with cold water to cool; drain well. Transfer to large bowl. Add sesame oil; toss to blend. Mix in chicken or turkey, onions, cilantro and chilies.

Cook snow peas in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until just crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Drain. Rinse with cold water to cool; drain well. Mix into salad.

For dressing:
Combine soy sauce, peanut butter, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and ginger in processor; blend until smooth.

Pour dressing over salad and mix with hands to blend well. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Line large platter with Napa cabbage leaves. Mound salad over and serve.

I’m linked to:
Tasty Tuesday
Delicious Dishes
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Tasty Tuesdays at 33 Shades of Green
Foodie Friday
Favorite Things Friday
Friday Favorites
I’m Lovin’ It
Feature Yourself Friday

Tags: Chinese Noodle and Chicken or Turkey Salad, cilantro, feeding a crowd, green onions peanut butter, jalapeno chilies, Pasta, potluck, rice vinegar, sesame oil, snow peas, soy sauce

Now that we’re heading into Autumn, it’s time to start hauling out the comfort food recipes!!! Chile Mac, a simple and comforting dish, is nothing fancy but it is a good, quick weeknight dinner. Plus, it’s fairly inexpensive to make and can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd.

I usually use beef broth instead of chicken broth, and I like to add a little more chili powder and cumin. Sometimes I use fire-roasted tomatoes with green chiles to add a little more zip. Corn would be a nice addition, too. I garnish each serving with shredded cheddar or jalapeno jack cheese, or a dollop of sour cream. Serve with a big green salad. Enjoy!

Chili Mac
-recipe from The New Boston Globe Cookbook by Sheryl Julian

A great kids’ dish, this mixture of ground beef and macaroni, cooked together with tomatoes and a few spices, makes a fine weeknight meal. Serves 4.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
8 ounces elbow macaroni
1 can (16 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
2 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Extra grated cheddar (for serving)

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil and when it is hot, cook the onion, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until lightly browned and softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

Add the ground beef and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until browned and cooked through.

Add the macaroni, tomatoes, stock, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Stir well. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cover the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until liquid is mostly absorbed and macaroni is tender but still has some bite.

Add the cheese and stir just until melted. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, if you like. Serve with extra cheddar.

I’m linked to:
Motivate Me Monday
Making Friends Monday
Tuesdays at the Table
Tasty Tuesday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Delicious Dishes

Tags: cheddar cheese, chicken stock, chili powder, crushed tomatoes, cumin, ground beef, macaroni, onion, Pasta, Quick Cooking

This pasta dish should be in every cook’s recipe arsenal! It’s super fast, delicious and can be made with basic ingredients that you keep on hand. As you read through the recipe, do not freak out about the anchovies because you can’t even taste them. Anchovies are that secret ingredient in many Italian dishes that adds another layer of flavor without screaming, “Hey, there’s anchovies in this dish.” So now I’m throwing down a challenge to you: DON’T LEAVE OUT THE ANCHOVIES!!!

I substituted penne pasta for the spaghetti, as you can tell from the photo. Also, I used fresh basil instead of parsley. The sauce has a kick from the crushed red pepper so leave it out if you prefer mild foods. Cooked Italian sausage is a great addition if you want to make it more hearty. Serve with a salad and crusty bread and you’ve got an awesome meal in no time!

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine

Makes 4 servings.
 
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 28.2-ounce can peeled tomatoes in puree with basil
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, halved, pitted
3 anchovy fillets, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons drained capers
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
3/4 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Grated Parmesan cheese
 
Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes with puree, olives, anchovies, capers, oregano, and crushed red pepper. Simmer sauce over medium-low heat until thickened, breaking up tomatoes with spoon, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain pasta; return to same pot. Add sauce and parsley. Toss over low heat until sauce coats pasta, about 3 minutes. Serve with cheese.

Tags: anchovies, capers, garlic, olive oil, olives, Pasta, puttanesca, Quick Cooking, spaghetti, tomatoes

I brought this delicious soup to a friend’s birthday luncheon recently. It’s easy to make, hearty and loaded with all kinds of tasty ingredients, including Italian sausage, carrots, tomatoes, kidney beans, and elbow macaroni.

Since I made the soup the day before I was going to serve it, I did everything up to adding the macaroni (I didn’t want it to soak up all the broth overnight). When it came time to reheat the soup, I brought it to a boil, added the macaroni, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. I then added a few cups of chopped kale leaves, letting them wilt in the simmering soup. After seasoning the soup with salt and pepper, I let my friends dig in. Note: chicken Italian sausage worked great in this recipe. 

Pasta, Sausage and Bean Soup
-recipe from epicurious.com

A little grated Parmesan sprinkled on top is a nice addition. Serves 8.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound Italian sausages, castings removed
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups diced carrots
1 celery stalk with leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
5 cups canned chicken broth
1 14 1/2-to 16-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 15- to 16-ounce can kidney beans, drained

1 cup elbow macaroni

Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausages and sauté until beginning to brown, breaking up with back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, basil, rosemary, crushed red pepper and sage. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes with their juices and beans. Bring soup to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender and flavors blend, about 20 minutes.

Add macaroni to soup and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Tags: italian sausage, kidney beans, macaroni, Pasta, soup

If you’ve ever had a Hawaiian plate lunch then you’ve tried this style of macaroni salad. It’s slightly tangy, slightly sweet and traditionally served with some sort of pan-Asian main entree like teriyaki beef or kalua pork and a few scoops of white rice. I made it recently for a Hawaiian-themed dinner party that Husband and I attended. Each creamy bite of macaroni salad brought back fond memories of a trip to Hawaii a decade earlier when we feasted on plate lunches almost daily.

I know it sounds like a lot, but don’t hold back on the dressing ingredients. Make the recipe as it is written because the soft macaroni soaks up the dressing and becomes very creamy and delicious.

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
-recipe from Cook’s Country Magazine

Hawaiians cook their macaroni until it’s “fat,” or very soft. Turns out they know what they’re doing. Here’s what the Test Kitchen discovered:

•While overcooking the pasta seemed like a bad idea, it actually enabled the macaroni to absorb more dressing.
•The dressing had to be thin enough to soak into the pasta. We used an equal amount of mayonnaise and milk, and we used a lot—a full 2 cups each—to get the right texture.
•To prevent the cider vinegar from curdling the milk, we poured the vinegar directly over the hot macaroni.
•After the vinegar soaked in, we poured on about half the dressing, gave the mixture a stir, and let it cool. We then stirred in the remaining dressing and added grated carrot, chopped celery (for crunch), scallion, a bit of brown sugar, and some vigorous shakes of salt and black pepper.
•Don’t use low-fat milk or mayonnaise because it will make the dressing too thin.

Serves 8 to 10

2 cups whole milk 
2 cups mayonnaise 
1 tablespoon brown sugar  
 Salt and pepper  
1 pound elbow macaroni  
1/2 cup cider vinegar  
4 scallions , sliced thin 
1 large carrot , peeled and grated 
1 celery rib , chopped fine 

MAKE DRESSING: Whisk 1½ cups milk, 1 cup mayonnaise, sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper in bowl.

COOK PASTA: Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta and cook until very soft, about 15 minutes. Drain pasta and return to pot. Add vinegar and toss until absorbed. Transfer to bowl. Cool pasta 10 minutes, then stir in dressing until pasta is well coated. Cool completely.

MAKE SALAD: Add scallions, carrot, celery, remaining milk, and remaining mayonnaise to pot with pasta mixture and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowl and refrigerate, covered, for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. Serve.

Tags: Hawaiian Macaroni Salad, Pasta, plate lunch

This is so good! noodles and ground pork mixed with a spicy peanut-flavored sauce. Yumm!

I thought the dish had a nice amount of heat. To make a mild version, leave out the red pepper flakes. Instead of serving the noodles with the sauce ladled on top, I just mixed it all together in the pot and added about 1 .5 cups of shredded cabbage and carrots (Dole bagged cole slaw mix). Although I forgot to add the bean sprouts for the main photo, I did add them to each serving when we ate the noodles. Bean sprouts (pictured at right) add nice flavor and cruncy texture so do use them if you can. I didn’t use the Sichuan peppercorns so I don’t know how they would enhance the dish. I’ll probably try and find them for next time, though. With the added veggies, this is a great one-dish meal!

Spicy Sichuan Noodles—Dan Dan Mian
-recipe from The Best of America’s Test Kitchen (Cook’s Illustrated)

Serves 4 as a main course.  

If you cannot find Asian noodles, linguine may be substituted. If you are using natural peanut butter or Asian sesame paste that has a pourable rather than spreadable consistency, use only 1 cup of chicken stock. Also note that the amount of sauce will coat 1 pound of fresh noodles but only 12 ounces of dried noodles, which bulk up during boiling.

8 ounces ground pork 
3 tablespoons soy sauce 
2 tablespoons Chinese rice cooking wine or dry sherry
 ground white pepper 
2 tablespoons oyster sauce 
4 tablespoons Asian sesame paste or peanut butter
1 tablespoon rice vinegar 
1 – 1 1/4 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon peanut oil 
1 inch piece fresh ginger, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
6 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil 
12 ounces dried Asian noodles or 1 pound fresh Asian noodles (width between linguine and fettuccine) or 12 ounces linguine
3 medium scallions, sliced thin (about 1/3 cup)
2 cups bean sprouts (about 6 ounces) (optional)
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns toasted in small dry skillet until fragrant, then ground (optional)

1. Combine pork, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sherry, and pinch white pepper in small bowl; stir well with fork and set aside while preparing other ingredients. Whisk together oyster-flavored sauce, remaining soy sauce, peanut butter or sesame paste, vinegar, and pinch white pepper in medium bowl. Whisk in chicken stock and set aside.

2. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large stockpot over high heat.

3. Meanwhile, heat 12-inch skillet over high heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Add peanut oil and swirl to coat pan bottom. Add pork and cook, scraping along pan bottom and breaking up pork into small pieces with wide metal or wooden spatula, until pork is in small well-browned bits, about 5 minutes. Stir in ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add peanut butter/chicken stock mixture; bring to boil, whisking to combine, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer to blend flavors, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Stir in sesame oil.

4. While sauce simmers, add noodles to boiling water and cook until tender (refer to package directions, but use them only as a guideline and be sure to taste for doneness). Drain noodles; divide noodles among individual bowls, ladle a portion of sauce over noodles, sprinkle with scallions, bean sprouts, and ground Sichuan peppercorns, if using; serve immediately.

Tags: Asian, Pasta, pork, Spicy Sichuan Noodles

Whether you’ve got a bumper crop of zucchini or you’re just looking for a quick weeknight meal, here’s a fresh-tasting pasta dish for you to try. It’s nothing fancy but it is easy and tasty. 

I used Foster Farms Turkey Italian Sausage, which has a lot of flavor and less fat than pork sausage. I decided to reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water before I drained the pasta then added it to the skillet when I tossed everything together. This helps keep the pasta moist since there’s no sauce. Next time I’ll reserve more  pasta water (1/2 cup or so). I finished each serving with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Italian Sausage and Zucchini Pasta

Serves 4. 

Sliced zucchini brings a fresh element to Italian sausage pasta. Served with some garlic bread and a glass of wine, it quickly becomes a satisfying meal.

12 ounces fettuccine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound mild or hot Italian sausages, casings removed and broken into 1/2-in. chunks
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup sliced onion
1 pound zucchini, sliced
2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1-in. chunks
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, return to pot, and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick frying pan, heat oil over high heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring often, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer sausage to a plate and set aside.

In the same pan, cook garlic, onion, and zucchini until starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, pepper, and reserved sausage and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.

Combine sausage mixture with reserved pasta and transfer to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with half the Parmesan and serve with remaining cheese on the side.

Tags: italian sausage, Pasta, Quick Cooking, zucchini

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