Betty's Spaghetti (and Meat Balls)

On top of Spaghetti

All covered with Cheese

I lost my poor Meatball

When somebody sneezed

My brother taught me this song, and we joyfully sang it with every plate of meatballs whether it was at home or out at my Dad's favourate the Baltimore Restaurant in Bangor.

The Meatballs and the Baltimore eventually disappeared without much notice, replaced by an easier and quicker to assemble meat sauce.

My nextdoor neighbor Regina has treated me to her Spaghetti and Meatballs several times recently. The song was back in my head, my meat ball rolled off the table, and onto the floor and then I came across Aunt Betty's Spaghetti and Meatballs in Moms hand written recipe book.

I have update and adapted this recipe and made it a little easier!

Marinara Sauce

2 28oz cans San Marzano Plum Tomatoes

1 lg onion finely chopped

4 cloves garlic minced

1/2 cup red wine like chianti

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tsp kosher salt or to taste

1 tsp pepper

2 Bay Leaf

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

In bottom large pot saute onions in olive oil 5 minutes over medium heat. Add Garlic and stir fry an additional 1 minute. Add winr and bring to boil. Crush the tomatoes with hands or masher and add to pot. Add pepper flakes, salt, pepper and Bay leaf. Return to boil then simmer for 1 1/2- 2 hours. Last twntey minutes add the meat balls, basil and parsley.

Meat Balls

1 med yellow onion minced

4 cloves garlic minced

1 cup bread crumbs (fresh if possible)

1/2 cup milk

1 egg beaten

1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp kosher salt
1 lb ground beef

1 lb ground pork

preheat oven to 400

saute onion in saute pan medium heat x 5 minutes, add garlic and continue to cook one minute.

take off heat to cool

add bread crumbs to milk and set aside

combine egg spices and onion mixture in large bowl

squeeze milk from breadcrumbs and add crumbs to egg mixture

combine meats to mixture until just mixed

I used a small meat baller which yielded 50 meat balls but you can roll them by hand and increase cooking time

placed 50 meat balls on foil lined baking sheet. Cook for 25-30 minutes unless you made larger meatballs.

Add to Marinara, simmer 20 minutes and serve

Also great baked in oven with cooked penne or ziti covered with Mozerella and provolone.

Pesto

Have a bumper crop of fresh basil? Make Pesto!

Great on Pasta or Rice, stir into mayonaise for sandwiches, spread on French Bread and toast in oven or even great on a premade pizza crust. Also good on baked chicken and probably fish

2 cups fresh basil leaves washed and dried

4 cloves garlic peeled and chopped

1/2 cup pine nuts (you can sub chopped walnuts)

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan

1/2 cup fresh grated Romano

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste


In a food processor combine the basil garlic and pine nuts

pulse to chop. With the motor running slowly drizzle the oil.

Add cheese salt and pepper and puls several times to combine

Makes 2 cups (1 cup is good for 1 lb pasta)

If using with pasta stir in 2 TBs hot pasta water with 1/4 cup cream into the pesto before tossing with the hot cooked pasta

Ziti

A leaner and somewhat easier version using a covered fry pan with an oven safe handle

You can easily use a covered caserole, I just have an aversion to dish duty. Its almost hamburger helper!

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 lb. Hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 yellow onion, chopped

4 oz mushrooms any variety washed and sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 can (28 oz.) crushed plum tomatoes with juices
8 oz. ziti, cooked until al dente
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup rinsed chopped Kalamata olives
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Preheat Oven to 400°F. In a 12 inch oven safe fry pan over medium-high heat add 1 Tbs of the olive oil. Add the sausage and cook, stirring and crumbling until browned. Drain cooked sauusage on papertowel. Discard all but 1 Tbs. of the fat in the pan. Set the pan over medium and add the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil. Add the onion and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine slowly stirring to scape up the browned bits, bring to boil and cook until liquid almost evaporated. Add the tomatoes and juices and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the sausage, pasta, basil, olives, 2 cups of the mozzarella and the tomato sauce to the pan and stir. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and the Parmesan on top. Cover the pan and bake for 25 minutes. remove cover and broil for 5 minutes. Sprinle top with crushed chilies and additional basil .Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 4.

Spaghetti Puttanesca

Olives, anchovies, capers and tomatos combine for a flavorfull sauce

12 plum tomatoes cut in half
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

add oil and spices to bowl. Toss in tomato 1/2s to coat. Place cut side down on file lined cookie sheet sprayed with non stick spray. Bake at 400 x 60 mins

1 onion chopped
2 tablespoon oil
2 anchovie filets minced

sautee onions in oil until starting to brown add anchovie fillets, cook one minute longer. turn into a large seving bowl

12 oz spaghetti

cook as per package directions

When tomatoes staring to brown add to onion mixture in bowl. Corsely mash with potato masher

add cooked pasta and the following

1/2 cup ripe pitted olives
2 Tbs drained capers

Toss all serve with grated romano