beef

Default Pasta: Egg Noodle Fettuccine & Meatball Lasagna

04 Feb 2011
baked fettuccine from sippity sup

Lasagna. You know what that is right? So you don't mind if I fiddle about some with this classic Italian-style comfort food do you? Egg Noodle Fettuccine & Meatball Lasagna. After all what's lasagna if not pasta, right? And when it comes to pasta at my house, it commonly makes its appearance in what I like to call default pasta.

I present default pasta here at Sippity Sup quite often, so I know you know what that is too. But quickly, just in case, default pasta is an easy flavorful way to make dinner with whatever ingredients you have on hand. There are a few basic rules however. If you need to review these CLICK over to my original post featuring default pasta.

Because today I want to talk about the ingredients I had on hand and why I chose them for this deconstructed lasagna recipe.

One of the "perks" of blogging is– I get stuff sent to me. Things people want me to try. Quite often it's food. That makes sense right? Some of these products get a little nod or mention from me here on Sippity Sup. But I am a little stingy with my nods and mentions, so most of these things end up in the pantry waiting to catch my attention. It doesn't mean they are not good products. It just means I am a picky bastard who refuses to sell my blog for a box of nuts...

Well on this particular default pasta night. I really had very slim pickings in the fresh food department. I was also having friends in for dinner and they have a 6 yo. Now I don't coddle children. In my house, kids eat what the adults eat. But that doesn't mean I won't try and accommodate the menu to appeal to kids as well as adults. What is it that both kids and adults crave? Lasagna of course!

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Egg Noodle Fettuccine & Meatball Lasagna

Egg Noodle Fettuccine & Meatball Lasagna from Sippity Sup
By jgreghenry Published February 4, 2011
Prep time: 150
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 0.333333 c whole milk
  • 1.5 c fresh, untoasted coarse breadcrumbs
  • 1 lb ground beef, pork and veal in whatever ratio you prefer
  • 2 clv garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 c parmesan cheese, freshly grated plus more for passing
  • 2 large eggs
  • 0.5 c flat leaf parsley, minced
  • 0 salt & pepper as needed
  • 1 c vegetable oil, plus more as needed
  • 1 lb ricotta cheese
  • 1 lb dried egg fettuccine
  • 6 c prepared tomato sauce
  • 0.5 lb mozzarella, chilled then grated

Directions

Make the meatballs: Add the milk and fresh breadcrumbs to a large mixing bowl. Let them sit together about 10 minutes until most of the milk is absorbed. Add the ground meats, garlic, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1 large egg lightly beaten, 1/4 cup parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Using your hands blend the ingredients together until barely combined. Do not overmix. Pinch off a small amount of the mixture, and rolling it between your palms, form it tiny meatballs. Less than a teaspoon each. Ideally they will about 3/4-inch in diameter. Repeat will all of the meat mixture. Heat the oil in a large cast iron or non-stick skillet set over medium heat. The oil should be hot but not smoking. Add the meatballs to the hot pan in batches small enough to not overcrowd them. They should be able to freely roll around the skillet as you shake it to fry the meatballs on all sides and keep them from sticking. About 3 minutes total. Using a slotted spoon transfer the cooked meatballs to a paper towel lined tray. Repeat until all the meatballs are browned, adding more oil to the skillet if necessary. Make the filling: In a small bowl mix ricotta, 1 large egg, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt until well combined. Assemble and bake the pasta: Place the oven rack in the center position. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, about 3 minutes, to al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander. Rinse and drain, and rinse and drain again. Spread 2 cups of the prepared tomato sauce evenly across the bottom of a 3-quart glass or ceramic baking dish. Arrange 1/3 of the pasta evenly over the sauce. Top this with all of the meatballs in an even layer. Make another even layer each of 2 cups tomato sauce and 1/3 of the pasta, then spread the filling over it all in an even layer. Top with half of the mozzarella, the remaining noodles, the remaining 2 cups of tomato sauce. Then the final layer is the remaining mozzarella. Make sure to pull some of the fettuccine above the cheese here and there so that it will get very brown and crisp during cooking. Cover loosely with foil and bake 10 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake about 25 more minutes, until the top is well browned and the sauce is bubbly. Transfer to a wire rack to cool about 20 minutes before serving with extra Parmesan passed at the table.

Notes:

serves 10 Source: adapted from Gourmet magazine

Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs, Now That's (Not Really) Italian

21 Jan 2011
Spaghetti and meatballs

Spaghetti and Meatballs, now that’s Italian!

How many times have you heard that phrase? Well, probably fewer than you think. Because Spaghetti and Meatballs is not an authentic Italian dish, it’s an American adaptation. I’d even go as far as saying it’s an American adaptation developed as a reaction to the socio-economic forces experienced by a wave of Italian American immigrants in the late 19th century. Now that’s a mighty tall order for such a soothingly classic style of American comfort food.

But really, who cares where it’s from anyway? Some of my favorite “Italian” restaurant specialties aren’t typically found in Italy. Things like Baked Ziti, Pasta and Broccoli, Pasta Primavera, and Fettuccine Alfredo were all developed here and became popular not only on dining tables but as reflections of family traditions too.

Now I may not care where these Italian American specialties developed, but I am interested in why they developed.

Italian families 3 or 4 generations ago cooked up Spaghetti and Meatballs. It probably had its origins in several baked Neapolitan pasta dishes served at religious festivals. Because at that tumultuous time of Italy’s history (they were fighting over the concept of unifying all the regions of Italy into a republic) meat was costly. So these special occasion dishes used meatballs the size of walnuts as opposed to the egg-sized versions we are used to in America.

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American-Style Spaghetti and Meatballs

spaghetti and meatballs
By jgreghenry Published January 21, 2011
Prep time: 120
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 2 35-ounce cans italian plum tomatoes, with their liquid
  • 0.25 c extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 t red pepper flakes
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 0.5 lb ground pork
  • 0.5 lb ground beef
  • 1 c fine, dry breadcrumbs
  • 1 c parmesan cheese, grated
  • 0.25 c parsley, chopped
  • 2 clv garlic, peeled & minced
  • 1 large egg
  • 0 all-purpose flour
  • 0.25 c olive oil
  • 0.25 c vegetable oil
  • 1 bn dry spaghetti
  • 0 salt & pepper, as needed

Directions

Pass the tomatoes and their liquid through a food mill fitted with the fine disc. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a 4- to 5-quart pot over medium high heat. Stir in the onion and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 4 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes, crushed red pepper and bay leaves, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, crumble the pork and beef into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the bread crumbs, 1/3 cup grated cheese, the parsley, and garlic over the meat. Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl until blended. Pour over the meat mixture. Mix the ingredients with clean hands just until evenly blended. Don't overmix. Shape the meat mixture into 1-1/2 inch balls. Dredge the meatballs in the flour until lightly but evenly coated. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil and the vegetable oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Slip as many meatballs into the skillet as will fit without crowding. Fry, turning as necessary, until golden brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Adjust the heat as the meatballs cook to prevent them from overbrowning. Remove the meatballs, and repeat if necessary with the remaining meatballs. Add the browned meatballs to the tomato sauce and cook, stirring gently with a wooden spoon, until no trace of pink remains at the center of the meatballs, about 30 minutes. Stir the spaghetti into the boiling water. Return to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until done, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Spoon in about 2 cups of the tomato sauce, tossing well until the pasta is coated with sauce. Remove from the heat and toss in 2/3 cup grated cheese. Check the seasoning, and add salt and pepper if necessary. Serve the pasta in warm bowls or piled high on a large warm platter. Spoon a little more of the sauce over the pasta, and pass the remaining sauce separately. Pass the meatballs family-style in a bowl, or top the bowls or platter of spaghetti with them.

Notes:

serves 4 Source: Lidia Bastianich

Beef Bourguignon with Kale

beef cubes for Beef Bourguignon
By jgreghenry Published September 3, 2009
Prep time: 240
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 1 T olive oil
  • 8 oz dry cured center cut applewood smoked bacon, diced
  • 3 lb round tip beef cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 0 kosher salt
  • 0 fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 lb carrots , sliced very chunky
  • 2 yellow onions, sliced
  • 12 clv garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
  • 0 (750ml) bottle good dry red wine
  • 3 c beef broth
  • 2 T tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves, whole
  • 2 t fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 bn kale, thick stems removed
  • 4 T unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
  • 3 T all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 lb pearl onions, peeled
  • 1.5 lb mushrooms
  • 0 italian parsley
  • 0 rustic bread

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate. 2. Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside. 3. Toss the carrots, and onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices. Add the bottle of wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork. 4. Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. Saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste. 5. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with crusty bread.

Notes:

serves 8