Yiayia's Makaronia Me Kima
Visualize a luscious sauce that wraps around every strand of pasta. My Yiayia's Makaronia Me Kima is a flavorful dance of ground pork infused with a symphony of garlic and spices like cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. This saucy delight, reminiscent of a Bolognese, but with that Mediterranean twist, is the culinary journey you've been waiting for – a warm and hearty hug on a plate. Give this recipe a whirl and let your taste buds revel in the magic!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large Vidalia onion finely diced
- 2 carrots minced
- 1 stalk celery minced
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- 2 lbs ground pork
- 56 oz. canned tomatoes blended
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 1 stick cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground all spice
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ cup fresh mint chopped
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- COOK MIREPOIX: Preheat a large pot on medium heat. Add the olive oil, onions, carrots, and celery. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow veggies to cook until translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and stir for about 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
- COOK MEAT: Add the pork and break it up while allowing it to brown.
- ADD TOMATOES: Pour the tomatoes into a blender/food processor and blend until smooth. If you do not have a blender, you can place them in a bowl and use your hands to smash the tomatoes until they are as smooth as possible. Once the pork is thoroughly cooked, add the tomatoes to the pot and stir to combine.
- ADD SPICES: Add the white pepper, all spice, cloves, cinnamon, salt, and pepper to the pot and stir to combine.
- SIMMER: Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow the sauce to simmer for 1-2 hours. Be sure to stir occasionally to prevent anything from sticking or burning on the bottom of the pot.
- ADD HERBS: Once the sauce has simmered for a while, add the mint and basil and stir to combine. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes.
- SERVE: Serve the kima over your choice of cooked pasta with a sprinkle of grated Pecorino Romano cheese.