Pasta

Barbara’s Spaghetti Sauce

for the first night of vacation, and other wonderful times

1 15 ounce can of tomato sauce/puree

1 12 ounce can of tomato paste

2 26 ounce jars of Ragu

2 tablespoons of oil

1/2 cup onion (minced)

1/4 cup of green pepper (chopped fine)

6 cloves of garlic (sliced thin)

1/4 cup of sliced mushrooms

3 bay leaves

2 tablespoons of Spatini

Brown sausage (hot & sweet, sweet cut short) & meatballs in pan, remove.

Deglaze pan with 1/2 cup of red cooking wine. Add sauce and spices. Once mixed, add in meatballs and sausage. Simmer until ready to serve over pasta.

Barbara’s Meatballs

1 1/4 pounds of ground beef

1 1/4 pounds of sausage (half sweet, half hot) The rest of the sausage cook in long (hot) and short (sweet) pieces in the pan.

1 roll, torn into small pieces. These draw sauce into the meatball

1/2 cup of onion (minced)

1/4 cup of Italian parsley (chopped, stems removed)

1/4 cup of green pepper (minced)

1 mushroom (chopped fine)

2 tablespoons of Locatelli cheese (grated)

1 tablespoon of dried basil

1 tablespoon of dry oregano

2 tablespoon of Spatini

3 garlic cloves (crushed)

Mix together lightly, do not over-mix. Form into balls and fry.

Lasagna

Can be made with or without meat

1 box lasagna noodles (cooked per directions – not overcooked!!!! – put on once meat is cooked)

1 pound mozzarella cheese (shredded)

1/4 cup grated Locatelli or Parmesan

1/2 pint of Ricotta cheese

1 large can of crushed tomatoes (or puree)

1/2 a small onion (minced)

Several cloves of garlic (minced – reserve 1/4 for the pan)

1 tablespoon of olive oil (and a second to oil the pan)

1 pound of ground beef (or half, with half pound Italian sausage)

1 teaspoon basil leaves (or twenty fresh, chopped)

2 teaspoons of fresh Italian parsley (chopped)

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

1/2 teaspoon of herb de Provence crushed in the palm, break it up as best you can

1 teaspoon Spatini (if you have it)

A pinch of salt, and a turn or two of cracked pepper

Mix half a pint of Ricotta cheese with half the fresh garlic, basil and parsley.

Saute the onion in a pan until transparent, then add the meat, fry until browned.

Drain off any excess fat.

Add spices the meat, then add tomatoes (San Marzano if you can get them)

Put the water on for the noodles, and the sauce will be done, when the noodles are ready.

Oil a glass baking sheet (9 x 12) and toss in the saved minced garlic.Lay three or four noodles across, they should just overlap by the wavy ends of the noodles.

On the bottom layer, put down meat sauce, then mix in the ricotta, making a thick orange paste, sprinkle with grated mozzarella. Repeat this, for the next layer, and then leave out the ricotta from the rest of the layers, or it just squirts out all over the place. It upsets the sauce to cheese to noodle ratio. Cover the top layer of sauce completely with mozzarella and Locatelli cheese. Decorate with pepperoni slices, if you go that way. So that each square of lasagna cut would have a single ring. Or write something, whatever makes you happy. Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is a nice brown and gold.

Meadles & Noots

Seasoned ground beef in gravy over noodles.

1 pound of ground beef (from Joe’s)

1 box or bag of pasta (rotelle, egg noodles, farfale – most work) – cook al dente, it will absorb gravy and finish cooking in the pan.

1 large jar of brown gravy

2 tablespoons of fresh parsley (chopped)

1/2 onion (minced)

2 garlic cloves (minced)

Salt & pepper to taste

A healthy amount of adobe

Thyme, Marjoram, a bit of each (or Herbs De Provence or Italian Seasoning)

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup of white wine

1/2 cup of water

Fry the beef, add onions and garlic. Drain off excess fat. Add spices, add wine, add gravy.

Simmer for a half an hour, add water as needed. Drain the pasta well, and add to the pan. Mix in, and it needs to rest for five minutes at least.

Ginger Scallion Lo Mien

1 package thin lo mien noodles, preferably egg, not rice

2 tablespoons of oyster sauce

Dash of Golden Mountain Seasoning

1 thumb of ginger, thinly sliced into strips

1 scallion, sliced into thin strips

1 scallion (diced)

Cook the noodles per directions.

Warm oyster sauce with ginger, and thin with Golden Mountain. Toss fresh ginger and scallions over hot lo mien. Drizzle sauce over top. Toss.