If you’re cooking along with us at home, find the ingredient and preparation list below or listen and enjoy for your next meal inspiration. 

COOK’S NOTE: Have your pot of water on the stove and set to boil before the start of the episode.

Makes 2 servings

INSTRUCTIONS

Boil pasta in 3 quarts of lightly salted water. 

Sauté guanciale until translucent and tender. 

Place egg yolks and pecorino in a large bowl. Mix them together with a fork or whisk. 

When pasta is 90% cooked, using tongs remove from water (allow water to adhere) and add to egg & cheese mixture. Toss until sauce is creamy, add guanciale and fat, and season with black pepper. 

Serve in two bowls with more pecorino and fresh black pepper.

If you’re cooking along with us at home, find the ingredient and preparation list below or listen and enjoy for your next meal inspiration. 

COOK’S NOTES: Pan-frying method is used for this episode. Roasting method is available at www.CookTracks.com. Serve with your choice of pasta (such as thin spaghetti), zoodles (zucchini noodles) or chickpea pasta. You may replace the ground beef, pork and veal with 1 1/2 pounds of Meatball/Meatloaf Mix.

Makes 6 servings

INSTRUCTIONS

For the Marinara Sauce:
In a saucepot, heat the olive oil over medium-high to high heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook until the garlic is tender and the onion is translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds.

Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, chicken stock, and water to the pot and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, adjust heat and add a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. If the sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add a little water. The sauce should be fairly thin and
very smooth, but not watery. Turn off heat or place on low until you are ready to add the meatballs.

For the Meatballs:
If roasting the meatballs, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and coat a sheet pan with cooking spray. Place the ground beef, pork and veal in a large mixing bowl. In a food processor or blender, combine the onion, garlic, parsley and chicken stock and puree. Transfer the mixture to the large bowl of ground meats and add the crisps, eggs, pepper flakes, Parmigiano (if using) and salt. Mix with your hands until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Grease your hands with olive oil and form the mixture into balls a little smaller than golf balls.

You can also use an ice cream scoop. This will make about 12-15 balls. If pan searing: Place a large skillet over medium high heat with 1/4 – 1/2” oil. When the oil is hot, add the meatballs to the pan (working in batches, if necessary) and brown the meatballs well on all sides. This will take a few minutes per side. When they are brown, lift out with a slotted spoon
and gently place in the marinara sauce to ensure they are almost fully submerged. Bring the saucepot back to a simmer and at that point, they are just about done. If you want to make sure they are cooked through, a thermometer inserted in the middle should read 140 degrees F. You
can also break one open and make sure it is cooked through.

If Roasting:
Arrange the meatballs on the sheet pan and bake until browned, at least 18 and up to 20 minutes. Transfer the finished meatballs to the marinara sauce and bring back to a simmer. Simmer for another minute or two until the meatballs are cooked through. Garnish with grated cheese, red pepper flakes and/or parsley, if desired.

COOK’S NOTE: Have chicken stock warm or at room temperature before you start.

If you’re cooking along with us at home, find the ingredient and preparation list below or listen and enjoy for your next meal inspiration. 

Serves 4

INSTRUCTIONS

Place a medium to large saucepot over low heat and add butter and oil. Let melt out and add the garlic and onion. Let sweat out over low heat to cook with no color. Cook for a minute, add the thyme and give a stir to continue to cook the mixture until cooked through and translucent and soft, but not caramelized.

Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat. Continue stirring every now and then making sure not to get any color on the rice, about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir.

Deglaze the pot with white wine and stir. The mixture should immediately simmer at a low to medium pace. Turn up the heat to low to medium heat, if needed, and cook for a few minutes. The mixture should be thick and viscous and as you pull your spoon through the mixture, the bottom of the pan should remain dry.

Add a ladle or two of stock at a time, to cover the surface of the pan, while stirring stirring stirring. Do not leave the pan for more than 30 seconds at a time…it needs to be babysat and stirred constantly. When the liquid is almost absorbed, add in more stock and keep doing this until most or all of the stock has been used or until the rice is perfectly cooked. The stock should be added in at least three rounds. Remove the stems of thyme (leaves can stay). The consistency should be similar to wet sand. Turn heat to low, add truffle pieces (if using) and stir; add Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir; and add truffle butter (if using) and stir to incorporate. If it is too rich, add a tablespoon or so of white wine and/or stock. When it is done and seasoned to your liking and the consistency is right, add in the chopped herbs and stir just before plating. Place in a shallow bowl and finish with fresh truffle slices (if using).