Spaghete cu chiftele/ Spaghetti with meatballs

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Postul cu numarul 100!

In urma cu cateva luni, dupa ce am vizitat multe bloguri, m-am gandit: "si eu pot sa fac asta". Si am inceput sa postez primele retete, cu poze nereusite. Am observat ce nu e bine si stiam ca totusi am ceva de spus, si chiar cu o poza nu prea buna, mancarea este excelenta, si in timp am perseverat. Am ajuns in 7 luni la 100 retete, am inceput sa fac poze mai bune (datorita si unei camere noi), am invatat mai mult despre unghiuri si lumina, si stiu ca mai am inca multe de invatat.

Blogul meu nu este o carte de bucate, este mai mult jurnalul meu de gatit. Imi place sa gatesc si am facut-o din necesitate si din placere: mancarurile romanesti pentru ca nu e mama aproape sa le faca, iar cele mai exotice pentru ca imi place sa incerc tot timpul lucruri noi. Am participat la provocari, mi-am testat limitele si am inventat retete proprii.

Spaghetele de azi sunt reteta proprie, inspirata din chiftelele Inei Garten si dint-o carte de bucate cu retete italiene. Sosul folosit este facut de mine din rosii proaspete, cu o reteta pe care o puteti gasi aici. Daca aveti prea multe chiftele si sos ramase, faceti un sandvis pentru a doua zi cu o bucata de bagheta. Deci, sa trecem la treaba!

Ingrediente (pentru aprox 30 chiftele):

700 gr carne tocata (porc si vita amestecata)
1 1/2 cani de paine rupta bucati (paine veche de o zi-doua)
1 cana lapte
2-3 linguri patrunjel proaspat tocat
1 ou batut
2 catei de usturoi dat pe razatoare
1/2 cana parmesan ras, plus parmesan pentru servit
1/3 lingurita nucsoara macinata
1 lingurita de sare
piper proaspat macinat
1/2 cana ulei pentru prajit
2 cani sos de rosii
cateva frunze de busuioc rupte
1/2 pachet spaghete integrale

Painea se inmoaie in lapte 10 minute. Se stoarce bine in maini si se sfarama bine. Se amesteca painea cu carnea, patrunjelul, oul, usturoiul, parmesanul, nucsoara, sarea si piperul. Se amesteca bine. Cand credeti ca ati mestecati bine, mai mestecati 1 minut. Se formeaza chiftele de marimea unei nuci.



Se incinge uleiul intr-o tigaie si se prajesc pe rand chiftelele, pana cand se rumenesc pe toate partile. Se scot pe un servetel sa se absoarba excesul de ulei.

Se scurge uleiul din tigaie, dar nu se spala tigaia. Se toarna sosul de rosii in tigaie, si se incalzeste, mestecandu-se bine fundul tigaii pentru a se lua toate resturile de la chiftele. Se arunca frunzele de busuioc in tigaie si se pun chiftelele, acoperindu-se cu sos. Se lasa sa fiarba in sos la foc mic cam 15 minute.



Intre timp, intr-o oala mare se pune apa la foc. Cand apa fierbe se pun 2 linguri de sare si spaghetele. Se lasa sa fiarba dupa timpul de pe pachet. Se scurg si se aseaza pe un platou. Se pune deasupra sosul cu chiftelele si se presara parmesan ras.

Pofta buna!



The post number 100!

Several months ago, after I’ve visited many blogs, I thought: “I can do that!”
And I started posting, shy and with not so good pictures. I’ve seen what’s wrong and still I knew I have something to say, and even with a bad picture, the food is excellent, and I persuaded. I have 100 recipes in 7 months, I started taking better pictures (with a better camera), I learned about angles and light, and I know that I still have a lot to learn.

My blog is not a recipe book, is more like my culinary journal. I like to cook and I’m doing it from necessity and from pleasure: Romanian dishes because my mom is not close to cook for me and the exotic recipes because I love to try new things. I challenged myself, I tested my limits and I invented my own recipes.

Today’s spaghetti is made after my own recipe, inspired by Ina Garten’s meatballs and an Italian cooking book. I used homemade marinara sauce, and you can find the recipe here. If you have some leftover meatballs and sauce, make a meatball sandwich for the next day with some French bread. So, let’s get to work!

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds ground beef and pork
1 ½ cups day old bread chopped
1 cup milk
2-3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 beaten egg
2 grated garlic cloves
½ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/3 tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp salt
Fresh cracked pepper
½ cup oil for frying
2 cups marinara sauce
Few fresh basil leaves
½ pack whole wheat spaghetti

Soak the bread in milk for 10 minutes. Squeeze very well and break the bread with your fingers.

Mix the bread with the ground meat, parsley, egg, garlic, parmesan, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix very well with your hands. When you think is well mixed, mix for another minute. Form meatballs of a size of walnut.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the meatballs in batches, turning on all sides until golden brown. Remove on paper towel to absorb excess oil.

Drain the oil from the pan, but don’t wash the pan. Pour the marinara sauce in the pan and deglaze the bottom of the pan. Add the basil leaves and the meatballs in the pan, covering them with sauce. Let simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a pot with water to a boil. Add 2 tbsp salt and add the spaghetti. Let boil for as long is said on the package. Drain and place in a large bowl. Pour over the sauce and the meatballs. Sprinkle some parmesan cheese and serve.

Enjoy!