Fried Spaghetti-and-Meetballs

Directions:

Mix 1 cup cooked spaghetti, 1 beaten egg and 1/4 cup grated parmesan.

Wrap the spaghetti mixture around 12 cooked mini meatballs.

Fry in 2 inches of 350 degrees F vegetable oil until golden, 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve on skewers with marinara sauce.

Pepperoni Pizza Monkey Bread

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 Tbsp butter
2 lbs pizza dough
6 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes (you'll need ~48 pieces)
48 slices of pepperoni (from 1 package)
2-3 cups marinara sauce, warmed, for serving

Directions:

Heat garlic and butter over medium heat just until the garlic begins to brown. Remove from heat and let sit.

Lightly brush the inside of a bundt pan (or other oven-safe dish) with garlic butter.

Pull off large marble-sized balls of dough and flatten (a kitchen scale makes this very easy). Top with a slice of pepperoni and a cube of mozzarella.

Pepperoni Pizza Monkey Bread
Wrap the dough around the pepperoni and cheese, pinching well to seal.

Very lightly brush the pizza ball with garlic butter and place into the bundt pan (I dabbed the pizza balls on a butter-dipped silicon brush to keep butter use low and my hands butter free - buttery hands make it hard to get the pizza balls to seal).

Repeat until all of the dough is used.

Cover and let sit for 30 minutes, while preheating the oven to 400.

Bake for ~35 minutes, until the top is very brown.

Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes.

Turn out onto a platter and serve with warmed marinara sauce for dipping.

Turkey Bolognese with Fettucine and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

Bolognese Sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, small dice

1 fennel bulb, small dice

1 large carrot, small dice

2 stalks celery, small dice

6 cloves garlic, chopped fine

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 pound ground turkey

1 cup dry red wine

2 cups chicken stock

9 medium VERY ripe tomatoes (about 2 3/4 pounds), medium dice

4 ounces button mushrooms, quartered

Pasta

12 ounces fresh fettuccine or tagliatelle noodles

1/2 cup fresh basil, torn into pieces

1 wedge Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions:

PREPARE BOLOGNESE SAUCE:

Heat a heavy medium pot (5 quart) over medium high heat.

Add the olive oil to the hot pot and sweat the onions for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, or until they soften.

Add the fennel, carrot, celery, garlic, and fennel seeds and saute until the liquid evaporates and the vegetables are golden, about 12 minutes.

Add the turkey. Season generously with salt and pepper and cook until the turkey is golden brown, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the wine and cook until the wine has almost completely reduced.

Add the broth, tomatoes, and mushrooms and bring the sauce to a simmer.

FINISH THE SAUCE:

Reduce heat and cover. Continue simmering very gently, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours, or until the sauce has reduced slightly and thickened.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

PREPARE THE FETTUCCINE:

Just before serving, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fettuccine in the water for 2 to 3 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.

Lift the pasta from the pasta water to drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

TOSS PASTA WITH SAUCE:

Transfer the pasta to the sauce.

Toss well with carving fork to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper, adding a little of the reserved pasta water if necessary to thin out the sauce.

TO SERVE:

Swirl the pasta into the center of 4 pasta bowls or onto a pasta serving platter.

Mix some of the basil into the remaining sauce in the pot, then spoon the sauce over the pasta.

Sprinkle the remaining basil over each bowl of pasta then grate the Parmesan over and serve.