Description
A spooky Halloween pasta recipe featuring squid ink pasta topped with a savory ground beef ragu, garnished with mozzarella ‘eyeballs’ and black olive slices for a fun festive touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 lb squid ink pasta
Beef Ragu
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
- 1 Tablespoon Italian herb seasoning mix
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Toppings
- 4 ounces Cielegine Mozzarella (about 1/3 ounce each cherry sized)
- 2 ounces sliced black olives
Instructions
- Make the beef ragu: Heat a large pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the ground beef and use a wooden spoon to break it up. Cook, stirring frequently, until the beef is fully cooked and no longer pink. Drain excess grease, then add the dried minced onion and Italian seasoning. Pour in the marinara sauce and simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Cook the pasta: Boil the squid ink pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Assemble the pasta: Divide the cooked squid ink pasta evenly onto four plates. Spoon the beef ragu over the noodles. Slice the mozzarella balls lengthwise to create round slices for ‘eyeballs’. Arrange mozzarella slices on top of the ragu, then place sliced black olives on each mozzarella slice to resemble eyeballs. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use squid ink pasta for the black color to enhance the Halloween theme.
- Draining excess fat from the beef helps make the dish less greasy.
- Simmer the sauce longer if you prefer a thicker ragu.
- Mozzarella balls can be replaced with small fresh mozzarella pearls if Cielegine is unavailable.
- Serve immediately to enjoy the textures and appearance at their best.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
