Filipino Spaghetti

Serves 6

Sauce

Olive oil, for coating the pan

4 beef hot dogs, sliced on a thick bias

1 pound ground beef (80/20)

8 ounces ground pork

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

1 large yellow onion, diced

6 cloves of garlic, finely grated or minced

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoons chopped jarred Calabrian chilies

2 cups unsalted chicken stock

1 (24-ounce jar) passata

3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons banana ketchup (or sub reg ketchup)

2-3 tablespoons fish sauce, to taste

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 bay leaves

To Serve

1 pound dry spaghetti

Grated smoked gouda (or reg gouda is good too!)

Thinly sliced scallions

1. Coat the bottom of a dutch oven with olive oil and heat over medium-high. Once hot, add in the hot dogs and cook until seared and golden on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the hot dogs from the pot and set aside.

2. Add in the ground beef and pork, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned all over, 6ik/-8 minutes.

3. Add in the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft and translucent, 5-6 minutes.

4. Stir in the tomato paste, paprika, and Calabrian chiles. Cook, stirring constantly, until deepened in color, 1-2 minutes.

5. Stir in the chicken stock, passata, condensed milk, ketchup, fish sauce, soy sauce, and bay leaves.

6. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stirring now and then to make sure the bottom doesn’t scorch, until thickened, 45-60 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper at the end to taste.

7. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season heavily with salt and drop in the spaghetti. Cook until al dente, according to the box directions. Drain and drizzle with a little olive oil to prevent sticking (do this step once the sauce is almost done, so the pasta is nice and hot when ready to serve).

8. Serve the sauce over individual bowls of pasta and garnish with the gouda, scallions, and freshly cracked black pepper. Comfort in a bowl!