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Description
A fun and spooky way to enjoy pasta, this Eyeball Pasta features a hearty meat sauce with mozzarella and olive ‘eyeballs’ for a playful presentation.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 lb spaghetti or linguine
- 12-15 fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini or ciliegine size), halved
- 12-15 sliced black olives
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add ground beef and onion; cook until beef is browned and onion is softened, breaking up the beef with a spoon. Drain any excess fat.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, oregano, and basil. Bring to a simmer.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain.
- To assemble the eyeballs, place a sliced black olive on the cut side of each mozzarella ball.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to combine.
- Serve the pasta in bowls and top each serving with several ‘eyeballs’.
Notes
- For an even spookier look, you can add a tiny piece of green olive for a colored iris.
- This recipe is great for Halloween parties or for making mealtime fun for kids.
- The sauce can be made ahead of time and reheated.