Pasta

Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs

November 11, 2019 by Becky Spoon

I call this recipe Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs because I’m using a jar of one of my favorite marinara sauces rather than the homemade I usually make!! After realizing I didn’t have fresh basil, I had already planned on the meatballs, I was happy to find I had jars of marinara in my pantry. I didn’t want to run to the store so it worked out great! And easy! I used Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce. Here’s the link if your not familiar: https://www.amazon.com/Raos-Homemade-Marinara-Sauce-24-Ounce/dp/B004TQPJAM. Use your favorite sauce, you don’t have to use my choice, I just happened to have this on hand and like it.

I think Spaghetti and Meatballs is a great dish when it’s cold and the weather is bad. It’s just one of those cozy comfort foods. Make your favorite garlic bread, add a green salad with a good vinaigrette and your meal is complete. This is a meal you can make ahead, either the day before or the morning of your dinner. Additionally, he meatballs and sauce freeze well.

The meatballs are homemade and delicious! They are loaded with spices, lots of parmesan cheese along with 3 meats, ground beef, ground pork and Italian sausage. I used hot Italian Sausage but use mild if you prefer. I simmer the meatballs in the jarred sauce for about an hour to allow the flavors to come together.

Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs

After your initial recipe, these meatballs make the perfect meatball sub. I make them all the time with my leftover meatballs. Just get a good French bread, toast it on both sides with a little butter (just the insides) heat your leftover meatballs, then add mozzarella. Place them under the broiler until your cheese has melted! A delicious sub!

Another use for the leftover meatballs and marinara is a delicious Leftover Meatballs Lasagna. Here’s the recipe: https://the2spoons.com/leftover-meatballs-lasagna/.

Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs

Don’t forget to finish your dish with shaved parmesan or Parmigiano Reggiano as I did in this case. Parmigiano Reggiano is a little expensive but I think it’s well worth it. A small portion last a while. The rind left is perfect for adding to soups or pasta sauces too.

A couple of tips before you start your recipe. Always save a little pasta water when to help with your sauce. Never rinse your pasta. And, always dress your pasta with some of the sauce first, then complete your final dish.

Here’s the recipe!! Enjoy

Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs

Print Recipe

Coursedinner, Lunch, Main Course

CuisineItalian

KeywordItalian Food, meatballs, spaghetti, spaghetti and meatballs

Servings servings

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
2 links Italian Sausage or 1/2 pound ground (I used hot)
1 cup Italian Bread Crumps (I used Progresso)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp fresh Italian Parsley (Use dried if you don't have fresh)
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
5 small eggs or 3 large or extra large
1 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
3 tbsp olive oil for frying the meatballs

For the Final Spaghetti and Meatballs

1 recipe Meatballs
2 jars of your favorite marinara sauce or other sauce-
1/2 jar water
1 lb spaghetti
Parmesan or Parmigiano Reggiano for serving

Instructions

Combine all of the ingredients for the meatballs (except he olive oil) and using your hands, thourly combine. Form each meatball in a unifor 1/2 cup portion.
Heat the oil in a large skillet. When medium hot add the meatballs. Cook on one side, then turn to all other sides to brown each side.
Meanwhile, empty the jars of marinara into a large saucepan. Add 1/2 jar of water to the sauce. Heat the sauce. As the meatballs are browned, add them to the sauce. When all the meatballs have been removed and added to the sauce, I ladle some of the sauce into the skillet and deglaze the pan, then pour that into the sauce with the meatballs.
Simmer the meatballs in the sauce for about an hour. you could lessen the time, but I really like the meatballs to absorb the sauce.
Bring a large pot of water heavily salted to boil. Add the spaghetti and cook for about 20 minutes. I like my pasta fairly sauce, more than al dente but cook the spaghetti to your desired doneness.
When the spaghetti is done, using tongs, remove the spaghetti to a large serving bowl, reserving some of the pasta water. You can drain the pasta, do not rinse, but reserve some of the water. Ladle some of the sauce over the spaghetti adding a little of the pasta water and toss until well coated. Plate the pasta into 4 serving plates. Top with some of the meatballs, more of the sauce and the parmesan cheese. Bon Appetite.

Summer Pasta with Fresh Corn, Roasted Red Peppers, and Cherry Tomatoes

August 14, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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This Summer Pasta with Fresh Corn, Roasted Red Peppers, and Cherry Tomatoes literally came together in the time it took to boil the pasta! This is a perfect dish for your family when you need to throw together a fast meal. If you wanted to add protein, sliced grilled chicken breast added to the finished dish would be wonderful, or you could add Italian sausage at the beginning of cooking the dish by browning it before you add the garlic and red pepper flakes.

Loaded with fresh corn, roasted red pepper, ripe cherry tomatoes, green onions, lots of garlic and finished with cotija cheese, this pasta dish is absolutely delicious. Cotija Cheese may be a surprising addition but it is the Parmesan of Mexican Dairy. This aged cheese (grilled corn fame) is for sprinkling with abandon for a salty, creamy topping to salads, tostadas, enchiladas, pasta, and more. You know how good it is on grilled corn; it is equally exceptional with the fresh corn in this pasta recipe. I purchased the HEB brand of Queso Cotija https://www.heb.com/product-detail/h-e-b-queso-cotija/606238, however, there are many brands.

Summer Pasta with Fresh Corn, Roasted Red Peppers, and Cherry Tomatoes

If you want to add a side dish my Sautéed Spinach would be a great addition! https://the2spoons.com/garlicky-sauteed-spinach-red-pepper-flakes/.

I hope you try this dish soon! Easy and so flavorful. I honestly couldn’t stop eating it was so good! Bon Appetite!

Summer Pasta

Print Recipe

Coursedinner, Lunch, Main Course, pasta

CuisineItalian

KeywordItalian, pasta, summer pasta, Summer Pasta with Fresh Corn and Cherry Tomatoes

Servings servings

Ingredients

1/2 lb long pasta such as spaghetti or linguine
extra virgin olive oil
5 large cloves of garlic, chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup roasted red peppers (I used jarred Mezetta Roasted Bell Peppers)
2 ears fresh corn
3 green onions
1/3 cup Cotija cheese plus more for serving
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
When the water comes to a boil add the corn and cook for 3 or 4 minutes . Remove and set aside.
Add the pasta to the water and cook to your desired doneness. I like my pasta cooked for more time than al dente, so that is your personal choice.
Trim the corn off the cob and slice the tomatoes in half. -While the pasta is cooking heat a large skillet and add a little olive oil to the pan.
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook on medium until the garlic becomes aromatic. Add the tomatoes and cook until they have released their juices, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper and combine. Add the corn that you trimmed from the cob and toss to combine.
With tongs add the cooked pasta to the cooked vegetables adding additional pasta water to create a sauce. Add the cotija cheese and combine, heating through so that it becomes part of your sauce.
Remove the pasta from the heat, top with the green onions and additional cheese for serving!

Sautéed Spinach — Summer Pasta with Fresh Corn, Roasted Red Peppers, and Cherry Tomatoes

Simple Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes from the Garden

July 2, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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This Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes from the Garden literally has 6 ingredients. Extra virgin olive oil, garlic, fresh tomatoes from the garden, parmigiana- reggiano, the pasta and some fresh basil. It is seasoned simply with a little salt and pepper, then a little pasta water to bring everything together! I honestly wanted to keep eating it!!

The tomatoes I used were Sun Gold cherry tomatoes, but you can use any of the small tomatoes. There’s champagne tomatoes, grape tomatoes, any of these will work in this recipe. If you decide to add some of these delicious cherry tomatoes to your garden here’s a link to give you names for the best types: http://www.veggiegardener.com/best-cherry …

Simple Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes from the Garden

I started with a little extra virgin olive oil and garlic, then added the tomatoes and cooked them until they were busting.

Finishing with pasta water helps make this delicious sauce! Add the spaghetti to the pan, toss a few times and you’re finished! Simple!

Eating this dish alone with a piece of good garlic bread or French bread is enough! However, if you want a salad, try my Caesar salad. Here’s a link for that: https://the2spoons.com/a-classic-beautiful-caesar-salad/

Hope you enjoy this simple recipe! The recipe is for two, however, just double or triple and the delicious flavors will remain the same!

Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes

Print Recipe

Coursedinner, Lunch, Main Course

CuisineItalian

Keywordcherry tomatoes, spaghetti, spaghetti with fresh tomatoes, sun gold tomatoes, tomatoes

Servings Servings

Ingredients

2 Cups cups whole cherry tomatoes (I used Sun Gold)
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle on finished dish
1/4 cup Parmigiana Reggiana Cheese finely, Parmesan or Pecorino Romano grated plus more for finishing the dish
salt and pepper to taste
pasta water
fresh basil, torn
8-16 oz spaghetti

Instructions

Bring a pot of water that has been salted to a boil. Cook your pasta to your desired firmness! I actually like mine softer than al dente.
While your pasta is cooking, wash and pat dry your tomatoes. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant but don’t burn. Add your tomatoes and cook until they have burst and a sauce begins to form. Shake the pan while cooking to insure all sides are cooking.
When your tomatoes have burst and your sauce begins to make add a little salt and pepper to taste.
Don’t drain your pasta, but remove your pasta with a spider or tongs from the pasta water into your skillet with the sauce. Add a ladle of pasta water and combine your pasta with the sauce and cook for a minute or two. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and combine gently adding more pasta water if needed. Turn the heat off and toss in some torn basil leaves.
Plate your spaghetti and spoon over the remaining sauce. Add some Parmesan strips, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and more basil if desired. Bon Appetite!

Awesome Macaroni with Fresh Tomatoes from the Garden

June 29, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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Macaroni with Fresh Tomatoes is another Southern recipe I grew up eating. My mother and grandmother both would make this dish. It is really good and comforting. I used fresh san marzano tomatoes from my garden that just made this recipe so much more satisfying. I did a quick hot bath on the tomatoes so that the skin would easily come off!

After I sauted bell peppers and onions, I added the fresh tomatoes to the mixture.

This is really an easy recipe, but it is super satisfying. Honestly, I could just eat a bowl of this and a piece of cornbread and eat nothing else! The freshness of the tomatoes and the sauce they make with the vegetables is amazing. I always add the Knorr Tomato Bouillon with Chicken Flavor to enhance the liquid. Here’s a link if you aren’t familiar with this ingredient. It really makes a difference. http://www.samsclub.com/sams/knorr-tomato-bouillon-w-chicken-flavor-35-3-oz/160906.ip

I served this recipe with my Smothered Cabbage and it was the perfect addition. Here’s my smothered cabbage link: https://the2spoons.com/smothered-cabbage-with-potatoes-smoked-sausage/

Here you go! Enjoy!

Macaroni with Fresh Tomatoes from the Garden

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Ingredients

For the fresh tomatoes

8-10 just picked san marzano tomatoes or 4 large fresh tomatoes
water to cover

For the Macaroni and tomatoes

1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 onion, diced
2 cups fresh tomatoes (You can substitute for a can of a quality brand of diced tomatoes)
1 1/2 cups macaroni
1 1/2 cups water (more is needed as you cook)
1 Knorr tomato bouillon with chicken flavor
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp butter
pinch of sugar if your tomatoes are too tart

Instructions

For the tomatoes

Cut an X in the top of each tomato to allow for easy peeling. Bring a pot of water to a boil. When at a rolling boil, add your tomatoes to the water and cook for a couple of minutes until you see the skin starting to release from the tomato. Remove from the heat and when they have cooled a little, peel them over a bowl to not lose any of the juices. .Then squeeze them to chop them up in chunks. You don't want to puree them, just use your hands to chop them up a little. You will need about 2 cups of the finished tomatoes.

For the Macaroni and Fresh Tomatoes from the Garden

Add the butter and extra virgin olive oil to a saucepan and sauté your peppers and onions until they have softened and the onions have become translucent. Add your tomatoes, the water and bouillon and cook for about 10 minutes. Then add the macaroni, stir to combine, lower heat and cover. Cook until your macaroni is tender, 15 to 20 minutes, adding water if needed. Enjoy!

Smothered Cabbage — Macaroni with Fresh Tomatoes

Pasta with No-Cook Summer Tomato Sauce

May 22, 2019 by Becky Spoon

Pasta with No Cook Summer Tomato Sauce is the perfect dish for those fresh tomatoes from your garden or market. You want to use a really ripe fresh tomato… you know the kind we get during the summer that we ripen on the vines. Oh, so good!!

Pasta with No-Cook Summer Tomato Sauce

I used Bronze Cut Trottole Pasta from Central Market/Heb but you could use penne, fusilli, or other tubular pasta. Trottole originates from the Campania region of southern Italy. It is made with organic durum wheat semolina using traditional bronze dies, this pasta has a rough textured surface which allows it to better capture and hold sauces once cooked.

You can use just parmesan cheese or do like I did use a combination of cheeses. I had a large bag of Belgioioso Shaved Blend of Asiago, Parmesan and, Romano that I used and it was perfect. https://www.belgioioso.com

My tomatoes in my garden are not ready yet, but I had some large, delicious, vine ripe tomatoes that were perfectly ripe for the recipe.

You can actually serve this pasta as a side dish or a main course. As the main course just add some garlic bread or even a salad like my Italian Salad: https://the2spoons.com/italian-salad-with-lemon-olive-oil-vinaigrette/. Allen was having a grilled ribeye and I served this as his side dish. You know you don’t always have to have potatoes with your grilled steaks!

This is a great recipe! I plan on using it all summer with tomatoes from my garden! Here you go! Enjoy!

Pasta with No-Cook Summer Tomato Sauce

Print Recipe

CourseMain Course, Side Dish

CuisineItalian

Servings servings

Ingredients

2 lbs ripe tomatoes (about 4 large) chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2/3 cup lightly packed fresh basil
1 lb pasta, like fusilli, penne, ziti (I used Trottole)

Instructions

In a food processor or blender, combine the tomatoes, garlic, oil, salt, and pepper and puree. Add the basil and pulse just to mix.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until done. The doneness of pasta is a personal preference. I probably cook mine a little more than the package directions, because I really don't like an al dente, but a little softer. I now poured the sauce in another skillet (hyou can pour into your actual serving bowl) and scooped the pastaz out with a large slotted spoon. I did not use the entire pound of pasta and you probably want to start with leaving some behind too because it will depend on the size of your tomates and the amount of sauce they make. You can add a little pasta water if you like. Then, toss with the sauce and the Parmesan cheese. Let sit for about 1 minute to allow the pasta to absorb some of the liquid. Serve with additional Parmesan. Bon Appetiit!

Fresh Tomatoes We use plenty of canned tomatoes with pasta, but for this raw sauce, fresh, lusciously ripe specimens are essential. Take advantage of the abundant crop in August and September. If you live in an area with a farmers' market, or have a garden of your own, experiment with different types—red, yellow, orange, heirloom. Each of these has a unique flavor.

Itlian Salad with Lemon and Olive Oil Vinaigrette — Pasta with No Cook Summer Tomato Sauce

Simply Delicious – Bucatini All’Amatriciana

April 15, 2019 by Becky Spoon

Not only is Bucatini All’Amatriciana simple, but it is equally delicious. This is also one of my favorite kinds of pasta to use. The hole down the middle allows the sauce to fill them making such a difference.

What is All’Amartriciana? https://www.nonnabox.com/bucatini-amatriciana-sauce-recipe. ” A classic Roman recipe, a first dish representation and celebration of Italian cuisine based on bucatini, tomato, guanciale and pecorino cheese. The interpretations of the original recipe are varied but mainly involve different proportions between these four main ingredients. Pasta all’amatriciana is simple to make, delicious and easy enough that anyone can do it and guarantee excellent results.

Bucatini all’amatriciana is a starter dish regularly eaten in Roman households, like pasta carbonara, whose recipe has, over time, been tweaked and amended, normally in relation to the proportions and use of ingredients that go into the recipe. Starting from the thickness and shape of the strips of bacon, for example, or the different methods of frying them (without fat, with oil or lard) and how they are simmered (wine, vinegar, or neither). Another small but important variation relates to the choice of pasta, and the varying quantities of meat and pasta used in the recipe. Another point of contention is the amount of fried onion used in the preparation, if indeed there is any at all.”

Simply Delicious – Bucatini All’Amatriciana

I served this with some garlic bread and a nice salad. I don’t have a lot of salads on my blog yet…definately working on changing that, but as I’ve previously posted my Italian Salad would be a great side dish, or even a nice green vegetable, or just some fresh tomatoes with olive oil and salt and pepper. Here’s my salad link: https://the2spoons.com/italian-salad-with-lemon-olive-oil-vinaigrette/

Simply Delicious – Bucatini All’Amatriciana

Here’s the so very easy recipe!!

Bucatini All’Amatriciana

Print Recipe

CourseAppetizer, dinner, Lunch, Main Course

CuisineItalian

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 25

Total Time1 45

Ingredients

extra virgin olive oil
8 oz guanciale, pancetta, or prosciutto (I used proscuitto)
2 large onions, cut in 1/2 inch dice
1/2-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
kosher salt
2 28 oz cans San marzano tomatoes, crushed with your hands or passed through the food mill
1 lb bucatini
1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano, plus more for garnish
1 tbsp minced chives or parsley for garnish

Instructions

Coat a large saucepan with olive oil. Add the guanciale and saute over low heat. Cook until it is brown and crispy and has rendered a lot of fat. Remove and reserve 1/3 of the guanciale for garnish. Bring the pan to a medium heat and add the onions and crushed red pepper. Season generously with salt, to taste. Cook the onions until they are translucent, starting to turn golden and are very aromatic. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for about 1 hour, tasting periodically. Adjust the salt, as needed.
Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the instructions on the package. Remove 3 or 4 ladlefuls of the sauce from the pot to a bowl, as an insurance policy. You can always add it back in but it’s harder to take out once the pasta is in the pan. You’re looking for the perfect ratio between pasta and sauce. Drain the pasta from the water and add to the pot of sauce. Stir to coat with the sauce. This is how you always finish pasta; you cook it in the sauce to perform the marriage of the pasta and the sauce. Add more sauce, if necessary. Add in the cheese and drizzle with olive oil to really bring the marriage together. Toss to coat and serve in shallow bowls garnished with cheese and the reserved guanciale. Sprinkle with chives to finish, if using.