Dave's best spaghetti recipe. And he's tried about all of them.
It wasn't exactly a quest, but we spent years trying spaghetti recipes
searching for the "best". As of the moment, this is what we've come up with. And
be assured, we will continue to "tweak" it, since that is what gourmet Italian
cooking is all about.
Good old spaghetti, there is no substitute. A nice side salad, a
glass of Borolo or Valpolicella, maybe, and that is as close to heaven as we can
get here on earth.
This sauce is great on it’s own over just plain pasta. If not
including the meatballs, however, most would want to add about a 1-2 pounds of
ground or small cubed meats in any combination of beef, veal, chicken, lamb,
buffalo!, pork, etc. Experiment, that’s part of the fun!!
Yes, there are hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of recipes
for basic spaghetti sauce out there, but so many are really just hashed over
versions with almost identical ingredients. No real chemistry, similar to what
you would get at a mediocre chain restaurant. The sauce recipe here, is just as
good with meatballs, over Italian sausage sandwiches, veal, chicken or eggplant
Parmigiano, etc.
New Italian Recipes Presents:
Dave's Best Italian Spaghetti Recipe
Italian Meat Balls:
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup grated Italian Romano cheese
1/2 cup Italian Parmigiano cheese
3/4 cup homemade Italian bread crumbs
3-4 T fresh Italian Parsley, chopped
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup whole milk or non fat half and half
1 1/4 lb lean ground beef
3/4 lb ground lamb or pork
Meat Ball Spice Mix:
(If you have these in non processed form, grind them in a coffee grinder)
1 T freshly ground black pepper
1 T ground allspice
1 t nutmeg
1 t cinnamon
1 T sea salt
Mix everything in a bowl just like you would meat loaf.
Roll into balls in a dimension you prefer. We use 2-3 large
tablespoons per meat ball.
Sauté in olive oil until just brown on the outside. Remove form
heat and set aside.
Spaghetti sauce:
2 T e.v. olive oil
2 T Butter Buds or butter
1/3 cup brandy
1/4 cup Madeira or dry sherry
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1 medium onion, minced
1 red bell pepper, minced
1 stalk celery, minced
4-5 cloves finely sliced garlic
1 quart
homemade tomato sauce.
1 cup crimini mushrooms, chopped coarsely (optional)
1 sprig fresh rosemary leaves
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
3-4 sprigs fresh oregano
1/4 cup minced black olives
Dash of Tabasco to taste, or your favorite hot sauce
1/4 cup chopped Italian Parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
16 ounces fresh or dry spaghetti-type long pasta, cooked al
dente and drained
Spaghetti Preparation:
Heat olive oil over medium.
Add Butter Buds and immediately add onions, red bell pepper,
garlic and celery. Stir well to coat with oil.
Reduce heat to low and cover, simmering slowly about 6-8 minutes
so the vegetables release some of their juices.
Add the brandy, Madeira, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce.
Re-cover for about 6-8 more minutes.
Add the tomato sauce, olives and mushrooms (if using).
Wrap the rosemary, thyme and oregano in piece of cheesecloth
large enough to hold all (bouquet garni) and tie the end off with a string. Add
to the sauce. (Note:) If you don't have fresh herbs, use 1 T dried rosemary, 2 T
dried thyme, and 2 T dried oregano.)
Simmer about 1/2 hour covered, then add meatballs.
Simmer about another half hour.
Add Tabasco, simmer for five more minutes uncovered.
If the sauce becomes too thick during the cooking, thin with
either chicken stock or tomato juice.
Taste a spoonful of the sauce. At this point, if the taste suits
you, add the spaghetti (Italian pasta), mix it in, and you are done.
You may need to add more oregano or salt, maybe even more
Tabasco. Make it taste right.
Ideally, refrigerate the sauce and let it rest for at least an
hour. (The flavors will marry).
Re-warm and serve with good, toasted garlic bread.
Garnish with Italian Parsley.
This is really a kicked version of traditional Italian red
spaghetti sauce. I think you'll find it "invigorating". Let us know!
For variations, add 4-5 sun dried tomatoes, minced, and/or 5-6
minced anchovies. If you add the anchovies, simmer them in with the onions
(see cioppino recipe).
Add the sun-dried tomatoes with the balsamic vinegar.
Buon appetito always!
Brought to you with love from
Aunt Aletha and Dear Old Dave
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