Wednesday, January 13, 2010

THE HORRIBLE TRUTH ABOUT SPAGHETTI


AAAARRGH! I overate and now I feel like jumping off a cliff just to end the pain. I blame it on
demon spaghetti.

I posted some spaghetti recipes a few days ago, and that started my mouth watering. It occurred to me that since I'd just watched a bunch of videos on the subject, and since I had the all the recipes that commenters sent in, that I could probably make a decent pot of spaghetti this very day. Today I spent hours shopping and cooking, and I just finished eating what I cooked. My conclusion? It was by far the best spaghetti I ever had, but......I'm sorry to say...it was disappointing.



It was disappointing because spaghetti itself is disappointing. The American style, meat-mixed-in-the-sauce spaghetti can be good, and in the right hands it can be very good, but it can never be great. Nothing that's meant to be wolfed down then sit in your stomach like a brick for hours can ever aspire to greatness.



I know what you're thinking, that it's my own fault if I overate, but that's only half true. The fact is that spaghetti is designed to be overeaten. Something about the chemistry of the thing actually promotes overeating. Using better ingredients only makes overeating more likely.



I have such a stomach ache! I can hardly type!

From this experience I learned that Italians were probably right about meatballs. Separating the meat from the sauce gives makes for more contrast in the flavors, and likely prolongs the meal so you don't feel so drowsy and heavy in the stomach afterwards. Next time I make spaghetti, I'll go the meatball route.


Aaaargh! Now I'm gonna sack out on the couch!

BTW, here's the way I made it: I like mushrooms, so I started by frying a few in olive oil, garlic and a little bacon fat. I only half cooked them, figuring that I'd let them cook the rest of the way when I put them in the sauce. I now regard this as a mistake. When added too early the mushrooms are overwhelmed by the sauce and you don't even taste them.

I cooked up some Italian sausage in olive oil and garlic and added lots of cabernet and port. Most of it evaporated and had only a small impact on the flavor. Next time I'll use only port and add it when the sauce is nearly finished.

When the meat was more than half done I added a sauce of fresh, skinned Italian tomatoes (according to a commenter, they're out of season and are therefore inferior to the canned variety), and canned crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Also in the sauce: the mushrooms I talked about earlier, onion, parmesan, green pepper, garlic and garlic powder, salt, ground pepper, oregano and basil. I would have added fennel if I'd had it.

I let it simmer for about 45 minutes. When it still seemed too thin, I thickened it with another small can of tomato paste, which was a mistake because the finished sauce tasted pastey. Later, when I was finished, I realized that I'd never added water. The only liquids were wine and the crushed tomato fluid. I should have added some water and let it simmer longer.

I wish I'd combined the Italian sausage with some ground beef or pork. The sausage was delicious but needed something to balance it out.

In spite of my mistakes the sauce still tasted very good, so I feel like I gave the meat sauce-style of spaghetti a fair trial. I still like spaghetti a whole lot, but I've been won over to the meatball theory.



BTW: This blog was featured on Boing Boing a couple of days ago. Many thanks to Steve Worth for the kind words!




21 comments:

Unknown said...

I despise spaghetti, ever since I was a child. I never could come to a conclusion on what I'd like to eat for dinner, ever, but for my brother it was always this damn meat and tentacle salad.

Anonymous said...

I made some spaghetti because of your post too, and it was pretty great.
I used Prego and Pomodoro sauce, with red wine, parmesan and cayenne. And I fried up italian sausage, beef and veal for it too. It was darn tasty. Like you said, in the end it wasn't the romantically magical experience I wanted it to be, but I was satisfied.

Brandish said...

I always thought meatbal spaghetthi was an American thing... never saw any in Italy.

Hans Flagon said...

Eddie, care to share your recipe, what you finally ended cooking up?

deniseletter said...

Hey Uncle Eddie,This is your new blog? I'll see it. Love your brilliant Captain Hooked! Is a picture story that would be in someway your long feature film.
"The fact is that spaghetti is designed to be overeaten" That's the way it is I know it too. Thank heavens this is a temporary ache!
As always you have a keen eye to choose pics!
I notice here you have Magical Mystery tour Beatles booklet! Did you see inside the Bob Gibson's artwork? What do you think about it?

Amanda H. said...

That picture of John Lennon from "Magical Mystery Tour" shoveling spaghetti on Aunt Jessie's plate made my day, only because its one of my all time favorite movies because its so crazy.
It's just the deal in my house but we don't really add a lot of extra stuff to the canned spaghetti sauce. I don't know what exactly my Dad adds to it. Should ask him.

Steven M. said...

Spaghetti is good, as long as its made right.

Nathan W. said...

Eddie, you should put together some recipes to sell in your store! You would have to include the Manly Cartoonist Burger of course.

And congratulations on getting BoingBoinged!

Jennifer said...

I'll make it quick since I have to get back to studying. Yup - I'm back in school getting ready for my doctorate!

Congrats on getting BoingBoinged!

changz said...

Italians over eat too you know.

Charles H. said...

You're right, spaghetti is designed to be overeaten.... especially when coupled with a good sauce (cream, tomato, pesto, they're all great) and some grated Parmesan cheese on top. Glorious, glorious Parmesan cheese! Rarely a disappointment.

Hmm.. am I the only one who was reminded of that scene in The Godfather where Clemenza teaches Michael how to make tomato sauce? Never thought I'd find a good recipe in that kind of movie.

Eddie Fitzgerald said...

Jennifer: You're going to be a Ph.D.!!??? Holy Cow! That's wonderful! Boy, Theory Corner attracts some high falutin' people!

Charles: There's a recipe in "The Godfather?" Well I be dogged! There's one in Rodriguez's "Once upon a time in Mexico," too.

Nathan: Thanks! Me doing a recipe booklet? I never thought about it til you mentioned it. Hmmmm.

Amanda: A lot of people say that Prego sauce in a jar is pretty good, especially if you add fresh ingredients. I'll have to try that brand and see.

Hans: Because you asked, I added a description of what I ate to the post!

Brandish: No meatballs in Italy!!!??? Son of a Gun! Maybe it is an American thing.

Josh: My supermarket doesn't carry Pomodoro sauce, but since you and the restaurant owner in the video recommend it, I'll be sure to look out for it.

Niki: Haw! Kids love spaghetti, especially if the noodles are really long. Come to think of it, next time I try it I'll shop for really long noodles.

Eddie Fitzgerald said...

Denise: Bob Gibson's artwork? Send me a link!

Brubaker said...

What are you planning to offer in your store? Any animation artworks? (do you have any production cels from "Worm Paranoia"?)

Eddie Fitzgerald said...

Brubaker: Thanks for asking! I wish I did have cels from Worm Paranoia. I'm dying to talk about the store...I'm really excited about it... but I'd better save it for the appropriate time.

Zoran Taylor said...

Maybe you know this Eddie, but I've been to Venice and one of the funny things you find out about Italy when you actually go there is that they don't do pasta as a main course. It's always a side dish. It became a main course in America.

I think I had Vermicelli with some kind of black bean sauce. It was the most delicious thing I ever tasted in my life.

mike fontanelli said...

Seems like everyone recognized John Lennon from Magical Mystery Tour, but there's also another celebrity featured in this post. I think that's Stubby Kaye (of Guys and Dolls, Li'l Abner and Roger Rabbit fame) pictured in the fourth scan down.

buzz said...

You were previously writing about tomato based spaghetti sauce, but there's an even better meal that combines sauteed swiss chard w/spaghetti. Problem is, it takes a LOT of prep time (about 1 hour) and a lot of attention while cooking.

But, man, is it ever worth it...

Mitchel Kennedy said...

The trick is to put so many delicious vegetables in your sauce that you will only need a little bit of pasta. No carb crash! :D

Anonymous said...

Its not the amount you eat, its how fast you eat it.

Eddie Fitzgerald said...

buzz: Swiss chard? You wouldn't care to elaborate would you? I don't mean that you should put up the whole recipe if you haven't got time. I'm just curious to hear a little more.

Mitch: That's profound! I'm going to try it!

Mike F. Yes, Stubby Kaye, an underrated character actor!

Zoran: Black bean sauce? I wish I could try it!

Anon: Well, that's one thing meatballs accomplish. They slow the meal down.