Looking for a recipe

[edwina]

I have an italian neighbor and she refuses to give up the recipe. So i was hoping someone here has seen it. She had macaroni noodles in it, hamburger, a tomato sauce, and kidney beans. I have no idea what else was in it. It was kinda thick. Its been along time since i have had it, and cant seem to find it anywhere, and now my memory is failing me as to what else was in it.

[hazelrunpack]

Can you at least get the name of the dish from your neighbor? She might be willing to tell you that since the name is probably not a family secret. Might help you get the right recipe from elsewhere

[Winston]

Edwina it sounds similiar to how you make a mac & cheese. I would cook the pasta part way and then fry up the ground beef with tomatos, spices etc and then mix with the pasta add some cheese bake it and away you go?? just try what you think is in in it? cant hurt really unless your feeding it to someone for supper!

Oh it almost sounds like a chili? added to pasta noodle?

[edwina]

Originally Posted by hazelrunpack

Can you at least get the name of the dish from your neighbor? She might be willing to tell you that since the name is probably not a family secret. Might help you get the right recipe from elsewhere

No she wouldnt give me that either, and she is quite out of it most of the time now to ask , she is in her 90's.
It was kinda like a chili, but it wasnt mexican, it was definetly italian flavored.

[Cerena]

Hi edwina,

I'm Portuguese, not Italian haha. But, what if you try a hamburger and macaroni recipe and add beans to it?
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/ham..._and_macaroni/

Otherwise, I'm not too sure how to go about finding this recipe...

[Longblades]

Google pasta and beans or pasta e fagioli and I bet you find a recipe or one you can adapt. I have one that is pasta and kidney beans that I got out of the newspaper years ago. No meat in it, not needed with the protein from the beans, but it could easily have hamburger added. It calls for a wedge of parmesan and I always splurge and buy the really expensive, really good stuff. It's so yummy I make it for company when we have a bunch for cross country skiing.

[Cerena]

Originally Posted by Longblades

Google pasta and beans or pasta e fagioli and I bet you find a recipe or one you can adapt. I have one that is pasta and kidney beans that I got out of the newspaper years ago. No meat in it, not needed with the protein from the beans, but it could easily have hamburger added. It calls for a wedge of parmesan and I always splurge and buy the really expensive, really good stuff. It's so yummy I make it for company when we have a bunch for cross country skiing.

Great suggestion! I will have to google this up myself (Ièm a vegetarian and it seems perfect).

[Longblades]

Seemed kind of mean not to include this so I scanned and here it is. The first part looks weird because I photocopied this at work, from the Toronto Star, and cut off the left side. I left it here because I think you can get some info from it. This makes a large amount and you must stir or it will burn on the bottom, partly because of the parmesan. It's quite a simple recipe but, ymmmmmm, so good. I usually make this after I've made stock from the Christmas turkey. Oh. I guess that makes it not vegetarian. I think not using chicken stock would seriously compromise the flavour, sorry.

t food's fuV of beans
; often the satneness
r, not the diversity.)
P & F" The version
kcs is a much thickf
a recipe that Star
rist Bonnie Stern
to several years ago,
rnie I extend warm
cause without this
ill be an unresolved,
20th-century man
rue Happiness on a
ach night. However,
Nutritional Nirvana,
ral Meal, and it is d, aromatic and
;a Zsa's accent.
gustatory secrets of
rat Carol adds the
rvedge of importcd
reese (Parmigiano
ht ;r pot, which
rdenutly rich, back-
The dish also bene-
:se of whole-wheat
the few dishes one
rbout. (l especially )o's wholewheat,
macaroni but it's
stores these days.)
tant is the use of
:made soup stock,
id broth can be substituted
when time is at
um.
Serve the Ultimate Comfort
Food with crusty bread and a
bright, youthful ltalian red wine
like Dolcetto. Follow with a salad
of mixed greens tossed with a simple
vinaigrette, preferably made
with extra-virgin olive oil. Be sure
to put on some ppera, or classical
music, dim the lights . . and you
won't even want to go out the next
night for dinner - you'll beg to
stay home for leftovers!
Mama Carol's Pasta e
Fagioli
3 to 4 tbsp olive oil
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 large onions, finely chopped
6 canots, sliced
1/2 tsp hot red chili flakes (or more to taste)
Rind of a wedge ol Parmesan cheese
(preferably Parmigiano Reggiano)
(optional)
6 cups chicken stock (preferably
homemade)
2 cans (each 28 oz[96 mL) plum tomatoes
3 cans (each 19 0y'540 mL) kidney beans,
rinsed and drained
2 cans (each 19 ozl540 mL) chick peas, ' rinsed and drained
12 oz small pasta shapes, preferably
wholewheat macaroni
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
(preferably Parmigiano Reggiano)
In a large saucepan, heat oil;
add garlic, onions, carrots and
chili flakes and cook, stirring,
until tender. Do not brown. If you
have the rind from a wedge of
Parmesan cheese, add it to the pot
and stir well.
Add chicken stock and tomatoes
with their liquid; break up tomatoes
with wooden spoon. Bring to
boil, reduce heat, partially cover
and simmer about 30 to 45
minutes. Stir in kidney beans and
-chick peas; cook 5 to l0 minutes.
Using a food pr,rcessor, pur6e
about half the mixhrre and return
it to the pot.
Rcrurn to boil and gradually stir
in pasta: continue cooking, stirring
often so mixture docs not
stick to bottorn, until pasta is tendcr.
Season with sall and pcpper
to taste.Serve in large soup bowls;
sprinkle with freshly grated
Parmesan cheese. Makes about 8
servings.

[joeysmama]

I can help you. I'm Italian and learned how to cook from my dad who was a wonderful Italian cook. Your neighbor isn't parting with the recipe because most likely there isn't one. A lot of our favorite dishes are like that and just don't have amounts. I'll try to give you amounts here though so you have a starting place. Keep in mind that in our family we like things spicy so if this seems too much just cut back a bit.

1 and 1/2 pounds ground meat (try to get a mix of beef and pork)
3/4 pound pasta (use either elbows, ziti, or a hearty spiral)
4-8 cloves finely chopped garlic
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 slices white bread grated on a cheese grater
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Mix all the above ingredients and saute in 3 Tablespoons olive oil in a large stockpot until brown.

Add a large can of tomato puree and 2 cans of tomato paste. Rinse the tomato paste cans with fresh water and add the "pasty water" to the pot. Add the water a little at a time. You want a thick sauce so judge by sight. You can always add more. Not as easy to thicken it once you've watered it down.

Add 1 Tablespoon basil and 1 Tablespoon oregano and a bay leaf

Add a can of dark red kidney beans. Do not drain.

Simmer sauce, stirring frequently until cooked through (anywhere from 1/2 hour to 2 hours...the longer it simmers the thicker and more flavorful it gets but this can be a meal in a hurry too so don't sweat it if you don't have a lot of time.)

Meanwhile cook the pasta according to directions.

Stir cooked pasta into the meat sauce.

Remove bay leaf before serving.

[edwina]

Thanks Joeysmama, i think that might be it. I will have to try it.

[pattymac]

Sounds kinda like my version of hamburger helper. To make it really easy I add a bit more liquid and just throw the uncooked macaroni in and let it simmer. You might need to adjust the seasoning once the pasta is cooked. One thing I like to add to make a different taste is barbeque sauce or else just a tblspn of brown sugar. Canned pork and beans is good for a bit sweeter taste, just don't use the maple ones, they DON'T go!! Tastes even better a day or two later.

[Melinda]

thats my chilli! *L*

[marko]

I'm with Joey'smamma on this one. I've been part of an Italian family ....for a long time. I've never seen a dish like that in any Italian restaurant and I've been to loads throughout the years.

Definitely sounds like a tasty homemade recipe to my ear and the posters in this thread sound like they may have guessed it

It sure as heck sounds tasty.
I'm a veggie boy as well - and i add Yves ground round to recipes similar to this, it's AWESOME when mixed into a sauce and WILL fool carnivores.

mmmmmmmmm getting hungry now.

[pattymac]

I prefer ground chicken now in alot of recipes. Not nearly as greasy of course, but I like the texture better. I find hamburger can be kind of hard and dry.

[Steadam2011]

Was this a casserole? Usually what you do is to fry a pound of burg then drain. Measure about 2 cups of dry macaroni. Cook the macaroni and drain that. In a casserole dish, combine all remaining ingredients and bake in an oven 350 degrees until heated through about 20 minutes or so. This is one of those dishes where there is really no measurments as far as adding the ketchup or relish. SO keep putting it in, mixing well, until it's to your taste.