Ziti and Meatballs, Bolognese Primavera

There is no comfort food that can top spaghetti and meatballs. OK, maybe ziti and meatballs. Other comfort foods (and there are many) may match this dish, but none will surpass (in my humble opinion). This takes about an hour to prepare, but a lot of it is simmering on the stovetop. This is definitely a weeknight dinner winner.

Great comfort food for ringing in the new year! Happy 2025!

2 Tbsp butter plus 2 Tbsp olive oil

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 carrot feathered with a peeler

1 shallot, finely minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, minced

2 tsp fresh Thyme leaves, minced

1/2 6-oz can tomato paste

1 28-oz can whole tomatoes

1/2 cup white wine

2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar

dash crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

1/2 lb ziti (or other favorite pasta shape)

8-10 cooked meatballs [I used frozen Meatballs Florentine, thawed]

grated parmesan for garnish

Prepare the sauce. Melt the butter in the oil in a medium pot. Add the celery, carrot and shallot and cook for about 8-10 minutes, until the veggies have softened and are just becoming a bit golden.

Add the garlic and herbs and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Add the tomato paste to the veggies and cook 3-4 minutes, until a bit darkened. Meanwhile cut up the tomatoes in the can with a pair of scissors.

Add the tomatoes, wine and vinegar the pot. Add red pepper flakes to taste. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring, and set down to a very low simmer. Cook uncovered on the lowest simmer possible for at least 30 minutes or an hour if you have it. About 20 minutes before you are ready to eat, add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer. As the mixture cooks, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile set a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil for the ziti. Stir the pasta into the boiling water about 8 minutes before you are ready to serve. Cook pasta until just al-dente and reserve about a cup of cooking water. Drain pasta and fold gently in with the sauce and meatballs. Adjust thickness of sauce with pasta water if necessary, to arrive at a nice glossy sauce.

Plate the pasta and garnish with parmesan cheese.

Serves 2-3.

Comments

Umami Beef Short Ribs Samin Nosrat

This is the penultimate prep for beef short ribs. Based on the superb documentary by Samin Nosrat, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, this is the most umami rib dish you will ever have. Its the combination of red miso and soy sauce that marinates and flavors the beef - give it a long time to work right - that means overnight in the fridge; it's worth the planning ahead. 6 beef short ribs on the bone, about 3-4 lb 1 large sweet yellow onion, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 jalapeño pepper, minced 4 cloves garlic, halved Marinade: 1/4 cup red miso 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup pale dry sherry or Mirin rice wine 1 Tbsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp honey 2 cloves garlic, minced Salt the ribs generously with coarse salt and let rest overnight in the refrigerator in a resealable plastic bag. Whisk together the marinade. Pour into the plastic bag and allow to marinate on the counter for about 2-3 hours, or again overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat...

Braised Salmon Hong Ya

This is a warm hearty dish you can enjoy when you crave a warm rich seafood soup or stew. I learned this approach to salmon from my co-grandparent Hong Ya who taught me many wonderful dishes from China. It's kind of like an Asian seafood chowder. The nori seaweed brings out the earthy flavors of the sea, which pair so well with the salmon. The sesame oil and chili flakes sharpen the dish a bit against the silky curtains of the wilted spinach. Beautiful as it is delicious, this dish is simple, yet so rewarding. 1/2 shallot, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1-inch fresh ginger, minced Liquids: 1 cup chicken broth (I used Better than Bouillon) 1/2 cup dry white wine 1/2 cup water 1 tsp black soy sauce 1 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp toasted sesame oil Dash hot pepper flakes (I used Korean chili flakes), or to taste 1 lb salmon bites, (1-inch, skinless cubes) 5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup Kizami Nori seaweed strips Sauté the shallots in a dash of neutral oil over m...

Haddock Roasted with Aioli and Tomatoes

This is a simple yet suculent way to roast fish. Here I use haddock, but you could use most any fish including cod or tilapia, or as I did on the west coast, wild-caught Rockfish (delicious). The tomatoes offer a fresh flavor complement to the fish slathered with a rich aioli topping. This is a quick, easy way to prepare fish on a busy weeknight. 1-1/2 lb haddock fillet (Captain’s cut preferred - thicker), patted dry Aioli: 1/4 cup good real mayonnaise 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp favorite hot sauce 1 pint grape tomatoes 1/2 tsp dried dill weed Fresh parsley, minced, for garnish Lemon wedges for garnish Preheat oven to 375F. Oil a medium baking dish (about 7x10-inch). Lay haddock fillet in dish. Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard and hot sauce in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, cover the fillet evenly with the aioli sauce. Toss the tomatoes with a dash of olive oil and scatter them over the fish. Season with dill and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Bake fish for about 20 mi...

Cuisine Eric

Search This Blog