Paolo's Spaghetti with Meat Sauce and White Sauce
(featured in The Oregonian, April 27, 2003)
Every night at Caffe Allora, Paolo Parrilli has a choice of one of two pastas and both are always tempting (and priced well too at $8 a serving). Recently he concocted a tomatoey meat sauce, which he served over pasta and dressed with a creamy béchamel-style white sauce. With freshly grated Parmiagiano-Reggiano, a crackling of pepper and a glass of Parrilli-recommend wine, it's one of Portland best simple pleasures.
Caffe Allora is located at 504 Northwest 9th Avenue; (503) 445-4612; Open daily from 7 a.m..
Serves 8
Meat Sauce
2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
1 medium celery rib, diced
1 medium onion, diced
Large pinch dried red pepper flakes
3 to 4 medium to large garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
1 26-ounce can chopped tomatoes in juice
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 cup water plus more, if needed
Coarse salt, preferably kosher
Pepper
White Sauce
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups milk
Salt, preferably kosher, to taste
2 pounds (32 ounces) dried spaghetti
Freshly grated Parmiago-Reggiano cheese for garnishing
Pepper for garnishing
To make the meat sauce: In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, sauté the beef, pork, carrot, celery, and onion until the meat is brown. If necessary, drain off any excess fat. Stir in the garlic, tomato, tomato paste, and water. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for several hours, adding more water if the sauce becomes too thick. Paste and adjust the seasoning with plenty of salt. Taste again and season with pepper. Remove the garlic before serving. This sauce is best if made 6 to 8 hours before serving. Leftovers freeze well. Makes 8 to 10 cups.
To make the white sauce: In a small saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat. When the foam begins to subside, stir in the flour. Turn the heat to low and cook, stirring with a wire whisk almost constantly, for about 2 minutes. Do not let brown.
Stir in the milk, a little at a time, still using the whisk. When about a cup of the liquid has been stirred in, the mixture will be fairly thick. Add more until the consistency is like a thin sauce. Continue to cook over low heat, until the mixture is a medium sauce. Season to taste with salt. Keep warm over simmer water for up to an hour, stirring occasionally.
Prepare the spaghetti according to package directions. Using plenty of boiling salted water, cook the spaghetti until al dente (tender but firm to the bite). Drain well and divide among 8 plates.
To serve, ladle meat sauce over the pasta. Spoon the white sauce down the center of each serving. Garnish with the Parmiano-Reggiano and a grinding of pepper.
adapted from Paolo Parrilli, owner, Caffe Allora
This recipe is recommended for the intermediate cook.