Baked Spaghetti in Bolognese Sauce with Brisket Meatballs

Baked Spaghetti in Bolognese Sauce with Brisket Meatballs

Spaghetti in Bolognese Sauce with Smoke Brisket Meatballs.

This is my interpretation of the traditional Bolognese meat sauce.  This variation is rich with flavor and very meaty, so it can actually stand on it own.  But I'm going to take this dish to another level with Smoked Brisket Meatballs, baked in the spirit of a spaghetti pie, with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.  

Bolognese Sauce is known in Italy as Ragu and originated in Bologna.  In its simplest form, Bolognese is a tomato base sauce cooked with minced meat (beef, pork, lamb).

We just celebrated Thanksgiving and of course had tons of leftover food including some delicious smoked brisket.  This recipe assumes that you have some smoked brisket laying around, so just FYI.

Bolognese Sauce Ingredients and Cooking Instructions:

Diced onion

Diced red bell pepper

Diced green bell pepper

Diced carrot

Diced garlic cloves

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Finely chop onion, red and green bell pepper, carrots, garlic.

Saute then remove from skillet and set aside.

Everything in the skillet, on medium heat, cook until soft and translucent.  Remove from Skillet and set aside.

1/2 pound ground meat

1/2 pound ground pork

1 small can tomato paste

1/4 cup red wine

Red pepper flakes

Cook the ground meat and pork.

Add tomato paste and stir in well.

It should look like this after you mix in the tomato paste.

Add caption

Add 1/2 cup red wine (optional)




Add the onion mixture to the sauce.

Cook the ground meat and the pork in the skillet on medium heat until cooked.  Add the tomato paste and incorporate well.  Add the wine and red pepper flakes.  Incorporate well.  Let cook for about 10 minutes.  You want the wine to have a chance to reduce and the tomato paste to soak into the meat.  Add the onion mixture to the meat and stir.  Lower heat and continue cooking.

28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes

Dash of Worcestershire Sauce

(about a table spoon of the following)

Garlic Powder

Onion Powder

Dried Oregano

Dried Basil 

Chili Powder

Paprika

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Add crushed tomatoes, and all of the ingredients above.

Add all of the above to the sauce mixture and stir well.  Taste and add seasoning as needed. Continue cooking.

Add the seasonings above

1/4 cup Heavy Cream

1/4 Parmesan Cheese

Add to the sauce and stir well.  Taste and season as needed.  Cover and continue to cook on low for at least an hour.

Brisket Meatballs Ingredients and Cooking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350

Chop your smoked brisket.

Add to the ground meat and ground pork.  Add the ingredients below.

Cook on 350 for 25 minutes.  See instructions below.

1/2 pound ground meat

1/2 pound ground pork 

1/2 (or so) chopped smoked brisket

1 egg

(about table spoon of the below spices)

Onion powder

Chili powder

Garlic powder

Oregano

Basil

Paprika

Red Pepper flakes

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large bowl, mix everything well and form into small meatballs.  Just a tad larger than a golf ball.  Top each meatball with additional Oregano

Place in a non stick pan and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cooked at least most of the way through.

Meanwhile, cook your spaghetti, drain and add to the bolognese mixture and fully incorporate.  Pour into an oven safe dish or pan.

Add the spaghetti to the Bolognese Sauce.  I like to sneak in about a cup of Parmesan cheese for good measure!

Place meatballs in the spaghetti and bolognese and push it in about half way.  Top with Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese.

Pour the spaghetti and Bolognese sauce in an oven proof dish.  Add the meatballs.

Top the Smoked Brisket Meatballs with Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese. 

Cook for about 15 minutes on 350 or until cheese is completely melted and starting to brown. 

Introducing Baked Spaghetti in Bolognese Sauce with Smoked Brisket Meatballs.