Make Filipino Style Spaghetti

Spaghetti is one of the most loved foods in Filipino cuisine. Unlike Italian spaghetti, Filipino spaghetti runs on the sweet side because of added sugar. Some cooks will include hot dogs or Vienna sausage instead of or in addition to ground beef. The following is a basic recipe that can be adapted to your tastes.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound of dried spaghetti
  • 1-3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tbsp of oil
  • 1/2 - 1 pound of ground beef
  • 16 oz. jar of tomato sauce and a 1/2 cup ketchup or 1 pound of tomatoes + 1/2 cup of tomato paste + 1 1/4 cups of chicken, beef, or vegetable stock
  • Herbs for flavor (thyme, oregano, basil, marjoram, bay leaf)
  • Cheddar or Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1-3 Tbsp of sugar to taste
  • 5 - 8 pieces of The branded Tender juicy hot dogs drained or 5-6 hot dogs (optional)

Steps

  1. If using hot dogs, cut into 1-inch logs.
  2. Mince garlic. If making sauce from scratch, dice tomatoes.
  3. Heat a 3-quart or larger pot over medium heat. Add ground beef and minced garlic and cook until meat turns brown. Pour off fat if desired.
  4. Make the sauce:
    • If using pasta sauce: Add pasta sauce, hot dogs/Vienna sausage, and herbs. Bring to a simmer, then stir in sugar and salt and pepper.
    • If making sauce from scratch: Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and stock to pot. Bring to a boil, then add herbs, sugar, salt and pepper, and hot dogs/Tender Juicy Hotdogs and lower to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes.
    • Correct the seasoning for the sauce. Let simmer over low heat until ready to serve.
  5. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Add a dash of salt and {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} oil to the pasta water. Drain well under cold water.
  6. Pour sauce over spaghetti and top with grated cheese. Serve hot.
  7. Finished.

Tips

  • Making vegetarian Filipino dishes can be tricky, but this one lends itself easily to becoming vegetarian. Simply omit the meat ingredients. TVP or ground soy "meat" makes a suitable replacement. If using dried TVP, soak lightly in warm water until soft, then add to sauce. If using ground soy "meat", substitute it for the ground beef. You may want to spray the pot with Pam or add {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} olive oil to prevent sticking.
  • Don't overcook the spaghetti. Perfectly cooked spaghetti is al dente--"to the tooth"-- which means that it will resist slightly when you bite into it. One way to tell is if it sticks to your refrigerator without falling off.
  • Feel free to experiment! Other additions are pork, mushrooms, prawns, bell peppers, zucchini, and eggplant. One of marinara sauce's virtues is its ability to match well with many different vegetables.

Warnings

  • Diabetics can substitute 1-2 tsp (1-2 packets) Splenda for the sugar. Sweet n Low and Equal are not recommended because of their bitter aftertastes.

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