292997 Fri May 30 17:33:05 -0700 2003 5 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1601307 Hello, I have a confession to make. I don't know very much about Italian food. In fact, whenever I think of Italian food, about the only thing that really pops into my mind is spaghetti. My level of sophistication with Italian food is about at the same level as those who always order Sweet and Sour Pork at a Chinese restaurant. I'm not exactly proud of that, but that's where I am. In any event, I love a good plate of spaghetti every now and then. Spaghetti is one of my lifelong cravings. The problem is that I have a hard time which spaghetti dish I want from the menu. At the typical Italian restaurant, I see three spaghetti offerings that appeal to me: 1) Spaghetti With Marinara Sauce 2) Spaghetti With Meat Sauce 3) Spaghetti With Meat Balls My problem is that I want all three of them. Every time I order Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce, I miss the meat sauce and the meat balls. Every time I order Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, I miss the marinara sauce and the meat balls. Every time I order Spaghetti with Meat Balls, I miss the meat sauce and marinara sauce. In other words, every time I order one of these spaghetti dishes separately, I feel like I am missing something. Last week, I went to an Italian restaurant and tried something weird. I told the waitress that I wanted to order Spagetti with Marinara Sauce AND Meat Sauce AND three Meat Balls. I also told her that I wanted plenty of garlic, green peppers, and hot peppers mixed in as well. I told her to sprinkle in a few capers as well. She told me that she would get the chef to accomodate my request. The result was spaghetti heaven! I loved the contrast between the meat balls and ground meat in the meat sauce. I loved the spicy marinara sauce mixed with it. I loved the extra garlic and peppers. I loved the added flavor the capers provided. One more thing. I prefer those thick spaghetti noodles. Not those thin ones. This restaurant came through with the thick ones. I am kinda wondering why more people don't create their own spaghetti preferences, just as they do with pizza and chili? Or do they? In any event, I am wondering if there's anybody else on this board who can relate to spaghetti cravings such as these. Dennis Fri May 30 17:33:05 -0700 2003 0 Dennis 1 1601314 Dang, Dennis, I really do appreciate your candor! Sounds like you're a "basics" kinda guy who nevertheless does not want to skimp on flavor and heartiness in your spaghetti meals. The combo you had sounds busy but wonderful! I also prefer the texture of spaghetti (I'm a medium-thickness eater, however; not too fat or thin) to most other pastas, especially when it's a dried pasta. There's nothing like the springy feeling of a mouthful of spaghetti; farfalle, ziti, they don't even come close - and don't get me *started* on penne! Nothing like good, old spaghetti (cooked al dente, of course). But when you move on to fresh pasta, there's nothing like a well-made fresh fettucine, all eggy-tasting. Or fresh pappardelle - had a near-religious experience with the latter at a restaurant in downtown Manhattan a few weeks back (Da Andrea). It was served w/a sausage ragu, and flavored with truffle oil. Oh boy. As far as sauces go, the sky's the limit - don't limit yourself to tomato-based sauces only. Garlic, olive oil and dried herbs, w/freshly grated parmigiano reggiano; pesto; shrimp and feta w/spinach. I'm currently contemplating an artichoke pesto, using artichoke hearts, garlic, olive oil, parmigiano, and some kind of nut (pignoli or walnuts). Let yourself go - enjoy!! And thanks for admitting to being a spaghetti lover. Fri May 30 17:59:36 -0700 2003 1601307 0 LisaM 2 1601368 For one 1 lb thicker spaghetti, serves 4-6. (Or 2 in my house . . . ) A sauce to toss with cooked spaghetti . . . Saute the white part of three medium cleaned, chopped leeks (halve them, then chop them thinly) in olive oil until tender. Reduce heat to simmer, add freshly ground pepper and finely grated lemon zest from one small lemon. Add chopped or torn prosciutto-- 1/4 to 1/3 lb depending on how salty it is-- and stir. Add light cream to coat, with enough extra to make a thicker sauce. Turn off the heat, add the juice of one half of a freshly squeezed lemon, stir, and toss with spagghetti and serve. I grate the lemon I'm going to sqeeze and then use one half of the lemon for the sauce, the rest quatered for serving at the table. I tend to like mine with more lemon, so I serve quartered lemon at the table. It's also good with sauteed finely-chopped collard greens, started before the leeks, which are added when the collards are half cooked. When I'm feeling (sort of) virtuous, I make the leek and prosciutto-lemon zest-pepper part, and then toss it with the lemon juice and a non-fat ricotta to coat. Sat May 31 13:13:11 -0700 2003 1601314 0 Erika 2 1601383 the parpardelle/sausage ragu at DA ANDREA is my fav dish there too! Sat May 31 15:53:37 -0700 2003 1601314 0 mrnyc 1 1601325 I have never ordered a combination of sauces, but if I was ever refused, I would boycott the place and never let a friend return. It is so easy to accomodate the diner. Fri May 30 19:47:42 -0700 2003 1601307 0 Jim H. 1 1601364 Dennis, good for you! I've asked for combinations of pasta myself. Nothing like a good rich meat sauce mixed in with the marinara. Plain pasta bores me and I like something in the pasta to chew on. I'm surprised more restaurants haven't come up with more combinations. It seems to always be the plain marinara, or meat sauce, or cream-based, garlic and oil and/or pesto. Sat May 31 12:39:28 -0700 2003 1601307 0 Flynn