The Bear Spaghetti
I’m just going to assume that the majority of you binged “The Bear” on Hulu this summer and have been dreaming of their Family Meal Spaghetti ever since. Or maybe dreaming of Carmy? Either way, the show left an impression and for me that meant going down the Internet rabbit hole to figure out how to make the meal that haunted The Beef.
Before I get to that, a little inside baseball in case you all aren’t familiar with the term “family meal” as it applies to commercial kitchens. The family meal is a dinner that someone on the kitchen staff whips up with whatever leftover or bountiful ingredients remain after prep and before service. Sometimes one staff member is permanently assigned to this role and in other kitchens it rotates based on who has the time on that particular day. It is always resourceful, creative, homey, and delicious. You’d be lucky to sit in on a family meal at any restaurant, any day of the week.
Now back to the show. Carmy finds the ingredients for Family Meal Spaghetti written on an index card but there are no instructions and you don’t see him making it from start to finish on camera. So there are a bunch of different interpretations floating around the cyber-universe and I settled on this one from The Gourmet Bon Vivant because she combined a couple of the same videos that I kept landing on. The actual recipe is a twist on Marcella Hazen’s classic Butter-Roasted Tomato Sauce (previously featured here on Sly Rooster). In this version, garlic, basil and red pepper flakes are seeped in simmering olive oil to deepen the flavors. After cooling, the oil is blended to puree the ingredients and added to the rich tomato sauce. I found the resulting tomato sauce to be a replica of what you’d get in a traditional red-and-white checked tablecloth Italian restaurant. Personally, I prefer my sauce a bit sweeter but this recipe is the real deal.
So go for it. With some garlic bread, a vinegar-dressed green salad and a nice bottle of Chianti you are transported. And we can keep dreaming of Carmy until Season 2. Enjoy!
Family Meal Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1/2 c olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 c basil leaves
- 1/2 c butter
- 1 onion peeled, cut in half stem to root end
- 2 28 oz cans San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 lb spaghetti
- 1/2 c grated parmesan cheese for serving
- extra basil leaves for serving
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add oil, garlic, hot pepper flakes, and basil to a small saucepan. Heat over medium low. Once the ingredients start to sizzle, cook for 45 seconds – 2 minutes, until the basil is starting to wilt. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, cut side down. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until it's just starting to brown. Add the San Marzano tomatoes, and mash with a potato masher until they are broken up into chunks. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make your spaghetti according to package directions, minus 2 minutes. You want to get the pasta out just before it's al dente so it can finish cooking in the tomatoes.
- Pour your cooled oil in a food processor, and chop. Add the oil to the tomatoes, and simmer for another five minutes. Remove the onion. Taste for salt and pepper, and adjust accordingly.
- Add the spagetti, cook for another two minutes until al dente. Remove to a serving platter, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves, and a drizzle of good olive oil.