CHILDHOOD PASTA WITH MEAT SAUCE

this was the first meal that my dad taught me how to cook. he knew our family's spaghetti recipe was one of my favorite meals growing up, and i remember watching him cook it one night and him patiently waiting for me to write down the recipe step by step as he went.

it's quite unconventional for a meat sauce spaghetti recipe, using vietnamese seasonings, but it's always such a comforting meal for me. i still make it at least once a month. italians may raise hellfire over this, but hey, if it tastes good, it tastes good.

there aren't really measurements for this since i eyeball the seasoning a lot. this is a sauce where you should taste and adjust seasoning accordingly.

ingredients: (makes 5 servings)

  • neutral cooking oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1 24 oz jar of pasta sauce (i use prego sauce "flavored with meat")
  • golden mountain seasoning sauce
  • fish sauce (i use squid brand)
  • salt, pepper, sugar
  • pasta of your choice (i like rotini and angel hair best for this sauce)

steps:

  1. add ground pork and onion to a bowl. season with golden mountain and fish sauce (two generous glugs done in a wide circle of each will do), as well as salt and pepper.
  2. add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of a large pot and set heat to medium. once the oil is heated, add garlic and stirfry until fragrant.
  3. add ground pork mixture and make sure to break it down into crumbles. saute until fully cooked.
  4. add pasta sauce and stir to combine. taste. season with salt and pepper to taste. add a few tsps of sugar if the sauce tastes too acidic. add some more golden mountain sauce and/or fish sauce if you feel it could be more savory tasting.
  5. place a lid over it and reduce it to a simmer. cook your pasta in a separate pot in the meantime. make sure the water is well-salted before you cook the pasta.
  6. serve over pasta.