From the spicy meatballs to the tasty pasta, this recipe is way better than traditional spaghetti.
Photo by Gwénaël Le Vot
SERVES 6–8
1 pound ground beef
½ pound ground chorizo sausage
2 large scallions, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley)
¼ cup chopped fresh oregano
¼ cup rolled oats
¼ cup milk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Pinch, crushed red pepper flakes
1 quart marinara sauce (or your favorite pasta sauce)
1 pound bucatini (or pasta noodles of choice) cooked according to directions
Grated Parmesan, for garnish
Additional chopped cilantro or oregano, for garnish
In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients from ground beef to crushed red pepper. Mix well, but do not overmix. Using a medium-sized cookie scoop, form mixture into balls to make 12 meatballs. Refrigerate for at least ½ hour to allow meatballs to become firm. In a Dutch oven, over medium heat, bring sauce to a low boil. Make sure the sauce is hot. Lower the meatballs, one at a time, into the sauce. Do not stir or disturb meatballs, or they will fall apart. Allow to simmer until well-formed and cooked throughout. Serve on a large platter over bucatini garnished with additional Parmesan and cilantro.
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Homemade Garlic Bread
½ cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
3–4 garlic cloves, minced finely
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
French or Italian crusty bread loaf
Preheat oven to 375 F. In a medium bowl, blend butter, garlic and parsley well with a spatula. Use a serrated knife to cut loaf lengthwise in half. Smear both bread halves with garlic butter blend. Wrap loaf in foil and seal ends. Bake for 30 minutes, turning over halfway through baking process.
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Chef’s tips
Using a mandoline. The easiest way to ensure you get uniform slices of vegetables, potatoes and even cheese is to use a mandoline. But use extreme caution. Always use the guard that comes with the mandoline to ensure you do not accidently slice your fingers along with your ingredients. If you do not have a mandoline, a sharp chef’s knife will do the job.
What is bucatini? A long, thick spaghetti with a hole running through the middle, which makes it easier to absorb sauces. Use it interchangeably with spaghetti.
Mexican vs. Spanish chorizo? Mexican chorizo sausage is raw ground pork or beef and needs to be cooked before eaten. It will be packaged as links or bulk sausage in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. Spanish chorizo sausage is cured and will be found in the deli section as a hard deli meat. It can be consumed without cooking, like salami.
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