Firefighter's Spaghetti with Meatballs

I went back and forth on what to call this dish.  Mama's Spaghetti and Meatballs?  (They aren't my mama's but if I was Italian, they might be.)  The Ultimate Comfort Spaghetti and Meatballs?  (This is the ultimate comfort food at our house)  Retro Spaghetti and Meatballs?  (Retro because it just reminds me of one of those good old fashioned "staple" recipes)  Classic Spaghetti with Pork Meatballs?  (Because it is really the pork meatballs that set it apart.)

I settled on Firefighter's Spaghetti and Meatballs because

1. Really, it is my husband's (the firefighter's) dish and 
   
2. It is substantial.  Did you know that firefighters like substantial meals, and lots of them?  This will stick to your ribs. 
   

Once again, this is an simple recipe with common ingredients.  You will need a pound of ground pork, 2 eggs, bread crumbs, Parmesan, Italian parsley and LOTS of garlic.  We often double the amount of meatballs we make, so in that case, you need 2 pounds of ground pork, 4 eggs, etc.

To start the meatballs, put the ground pork in a large bowl.  Really, just pork, not beef, not a combo of pork and beef.  Just pork.  This makes the best meatballs.  I can't order meatballs anywhere now.  I've been spoiled for life by these pork meatballs.

Crack two eggs into the bowl

and add a half a cup of bread crumbs.

Season generously with salt and pepper.  I use about a teaspoon of salt and grind pepper until my hand gets tired.  Now grab a bunch of garlic.

That's not enough.  Go get some more.

That's better.  I know, it looks scary, but the garlic is so good in these meatballs.

Very roughly chop the garlic, you want some big chunks in there,

and add it to the bowl with the pork.

Now grate a bunch of Parmesan cheese.  I usually add at least a cup.

Finally, add about a half a cup of roughly chopped Italian parsley.

If your kids are near, call them to mix the meat.  If they aren't around, you are going to have to stick your (washed) hands into the bowl yourself and start mixing.

When you are done, all the ingredients will be evenly distributed through the pork mixture.  Time to form the meatballs.  Call your kids again. 

This time mine answered...  and came to make giant meatballs.

Giant is OK.  Small are OK (especially if you want them mixed into the sauce instead of on top or if you are making baked ziti).  Medium was my choice for today though. 

Here they are all rolled out.  These are about 1" meatballs.

Now it is time to start cooking.  Get your enormous saucepan for cooking the meatballs, your large saucepan for the marinara and a stockpot for the spaghetti.

For the marinara, you will need a 28 oz can (or two small cans) of whole or diced tomatoes, olive oil, basil, salt, pepper and, yes, more garlic.

For the sauce, I minced about half the number of cloves that I used for the meatballs.

and added them with a 1/4 cup of olive oil to the saucepan.  I heated the garlic for several minutes until it was golden

and then added the tomatoes, which I had pureed in my blender.  Sometimes I don't puree the tomatoes because I am a fan of chunky sauces, but trust me, it is better this way.

Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste and then let simmer while you cook the meatballs.

Add enough olive oil to the enormous saucepan to cover the bottom and drop the meatballs in one by one.

You don't want to crowd them, so do them in batches if you have to.  Season generously with salt and pepper.  You DO NOT want to skimp on the salt here.  I makes the most delicious crunchy crust on the meatballs.

When the meatballs are solid enough to be picked up, do so with a tongs and turn them over.  If they fall apart when you try to pick them up, stop and let them cook for a bit longer.

When you have flipped them all, season again with salt and pepper.

The marinara should be thickened by now, so add several torn up leaves of basil and stir to combine.

When the spaghetti is al dente, drain and toss with the marinara.  Plate a pile of spaghetti and nest several meatballs on top.

Sprinkle with Italian Parsley for garnish and serve with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Firefighter's Spaghetti with Meatballs
serves: 4  (Recipe also on Tasty Kitchen)

• 1 lb ground pork
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup of bread crumbs
• 1 t salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 1 head of garlic, divided
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  
• 1/2 cup of Italian parsley, roughly chopped
• 28 oz can of whole or diced tomatoes, pureed
• 1/2 cup of olive oil, divided
• 10 basil leaves, torn 
• 1 lb spaghetti, cooked in salted water according to directions
  

Combine the pork, eggs, bread crumbs, 3/4 of the cloves from a head of garlic, roughly chopped, Parmesan, Italian parsley, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Mix to combine and then form into 1" meatballs.

For the marinara, mince the remaining garlic and added them with1/4 cup of olive oil to a large saucepan.  Heat for several minuted until the garlic is golden and then added the pureed tomatoes.  Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste and simmer over low heat.

Add remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil to a second saucepan and drop the meatballs in one by one.  Cook the meatballs in batches to avoid crowding if necessary.  Season generously with salt and pepper. Turn the meatballs when they are solid enough not to break when picked up with a pair of tongs.  Season again with salt and pepper. 

When the marinara is thickened (after about 15 to 20 minutes) add basil and stir to combine.  Toss the sauce with the cooked spaghetti.  Plate a pile of spaghetti and nest several meatballs on top.  Garnish with Italian Parsley and serve with Parmesan cheese.

"Just In Case" Pie

One of the first cookbooks I ever owned was called "The Treasury of Creative Cooking".  My mother gave it to me years and years ago.  I don't know where she got it, but I'm pretty sure she gave it to me because there is a photo of every recipe and I'm a visual cook (if you couldn't tell).  I'm a bit better at it now, but when I first started experimenting in the kitchen, chances were I was cooking a recipe I'd found that was accompanied by a pretty picture.  Years later, I still pull out the giant cookbook for this recipe which was submitted by Christa Schmitt and won first place in the Chocolate Recipe Context sponsored by Lexington Market in Baltimore, Maryland. 

There are three basic parts to the recipe.  The first is the crust, which includes, 2 cups of Oreos (or about 24), 3/4 cup of pecans and 1/2 cup of butter.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and chop the Oreos in a food processor

until they form a coarse meal.

Then add the pecans to the bowl and pulse a few more times.

Next, place a stick of butter in a glass bowl

and melt it in the microwave.

Add the Oreo and pecan mixture to the butter

and combine.

Transfer the mixture to a 9" deep dish pie plat

and use your fingers to press the mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan, forming a high rim.  Bake the pie crust for 10 minutes and then let cool completely.

The second part is the chocolate topping.  The ingredients for this include water, eggs, chocolate, unflavored gelatin, vanilla and cream.

Place 1/4 cup of cold water in a small saucepan.  Sprinkle one envelope of unflavored gelatine over the water and let stand for one minute.

Move the saucepan to the stove top and heat over low heat for about three minutes, or until the gelatin is completely dissolved.  Stir in one cup of cream and heat just to a boil.

Transfer the heated cream mixture to your food processor bowl

and add one cup of semisweet chocolate chips.  Process until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.

While continuing to process, add another 1/2 cup of cream

2 eggs

and one teaspoon of vanilla.

Pour into a bowl and refrigerate for about fifteen minutes, until thickened.

The last component of the pie is the carmel filling.  For this, you will need 1 cup of carmels (about 24), 2 tablespoons of butter and an additional 1/4 cup of cream.

Pour the cream into a small saucepan

and add the butter

and caramels.  Simmer over low heat until the caramels have completely melted and you have a smooth sauce.

Now, take your cooled crust

and pour the caramel mixture into it.

Retrieve the thickened chocolate mixture from the refrigerator and beat until smooth.  Pour the chocolate over the caramel layer

and refrigerate for three hours, or until firm.

Carefully cut out a slice of the pie. 

The caramel layer should ooze, perfectly complimenting the fluffy chocolate and rich crust.  Enjoy!

"Just in Case" Pie
serves: 8  (Recipe also on Tasty Kitchen)

• 2 cups of Oreos, about 24, crushed
• 3/4 cup of pecans, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup of butter, melted
• 1/4 cup of cold water
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup of caramels, about 24
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup of heavy cream
  

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Chop the Oreos and pecans in a food processoruntil they form a coarse meal.  Combine the Oreo mixture with the melted butter and transfer the mixture to a 9" deep dish pie plate. Use your fingers to press the mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan, forming a high rim.  Bake the pie crust for 10 minutes and then let cool completely.

Place 1/4 cup of cold water in a small saucepan.  Sprinkle one envelope of unflavored gelatine over the water and let stand for one minute.  Move the saucepan to the stove top and heat over low heat for about three minutes, or until the gelatin is completely dissolved.  Stir in one cup of cream and heat just to a boil.
Transfer the heated cream mixture to your food processor bowl and add one cup of semisweet chocolate chips.  Process until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.  While continuing to process, add another 1/2 cup of cream, 2 eggs and one teaspoon of vanilla.  Pour into a bowl and refrigerate for about fifteen minutes, until thickened.

Pour 1/4 cup of cream into a small saucepan and add 2 tablespoons of butter and the caramels.  Simmer over low heat until the caramels have completely melted and you have a smooth sauce.

Take your cooled crust and pour the caramel mixture into it.  Retrieve the thickened chocolate mixture from the refrigerator and beat until smooth.  Pour the chocolate over the caramel layer and refrigerate for three hours, or until firm.