Bug Balls and Worms
No graveyard feast would be complete without some scary critters walking over every plate of tasty red pasta. We made our bugs using carrot stems and pimiento-stuffed olives. So go ahead, get creative and have fun making your own frightening creatures.
Servings: 8 to 10
Ingredients:
| Nutritional Info | |
| Per serving: about | - |
| cal | 541 |
| pro | 35 g |
| total fat | 19 g |
| sat. fat | 7 g |
| carb | 57 g |
| fibre | 5 g |
| chol | 113 mg |
| sodium | 813 mg |
| % RDI: | - |
| calcium | 12% |
| iron | 39% |
| vit A | 9% |
| vit C | 17% |
| folate | 46% |
-
1 lb (500 g) bucatini pasta
Tomato sauce:
1 tbsp (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 can (28 oz/796 mL) crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp (2 mL) each salt and pepper
Bug Balls:
2 eggs
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup (125 mL) dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup (50 mL) grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp (5 mL) dried thyme
1 tsp (5 mL) each salt and pepper
2 lb (1 kg) lean ground beef
Preparation:
Tomato sauce: In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; fry grated onion, garlic and bay leaves, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 2 minutes.
Add tomatoes, salt and pepper; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until spoon drawn across bottom of pan leaves space that fills in slowly, about 30 minutes. Discard bay leaves. (Make-ahead: Let cool for 30 minutes; refrigerate until cold. Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat to continue.)
Bug Balls: Meanwhile, in bowl, beat eggs; mix in garlic, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, thyme, salt, pepper and 2 tbsp (25 mL) water. Mix in beef. Shape by level tablespoonfuls (15 mL) into balls. Place 1/2 inch (1 cm) apart on 2 foil-lined rimmed baking sheets; flatten slightly. (Make-ahead: Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)
Bake in top and bottom thirds of 450°F (230°C) oven, rotating and switching pans halfway through, until no longer pink inside, about 10 minutes. Reserving 3 to 5 balls to decorate, add remaining balls to tomato sauce.
Meanwhile, in large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook pasta until tender but firm, 8 to 10 minutes; drain well and serve with sauce. Garnish with reserved balls.
Source
Canadian Living Magazine: November 2005
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