Ingredients
Vegetarian Version:
1½ lbs seeded tomatoes, cut into ½-inch pieces
½ cup pitted olives
¼ lb crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons drained capers
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¾ lb spaghetti
6 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Meat Sauce Version (Makaronia me Kima):
⅓ to ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons olive oil (for pasta)
1 small onion, chopped
2–3 cloves whole
2–3 allspice berries
1 cinnamon stick
1–2 bay leaves
3 cloves garlic, halved
½ cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 pound ground beef
14–15 oz crushed or diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup hot water
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 package (16 oz or 500 g) spaghetti
4 tablespoons grated mizithra or Pecorino cheese
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Vegetarian Version:
1. In a large bowl, mix tomatoes, olives, feta, capers, parsley, salt, and pepper.
2. Cook spaghetti according to package until al dente; drain.
3. Heat olive oil over moderately low heat; add garlic and cook for one minute.
4. Toss spaghetti with garlic oil and tomato mixture; serve warm or at room temperature.
Meat Sauce Version:
1. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium, add onion, cloves, allspice, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and salt; sauté until onions are translucent.
2. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
3. Stir in tomato paste, then ground beef; cook until no longer pink.
4. Add red wine, cook until evaporated, then add tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugar, and hot water. Simmer uncovered for about one hour.
5. Remove whole spices and stir in oregano.
6. Boil spaghetti slightly beyond al dente, drain, and toss with olive oil.
7. In a casserole dish, layer half the pasta, sprinkle with cheese, add remaining pasta, sprinkle more cheese, and dust with cinnamon.
8. Heat remaining olive oil until shimmering and drizzle over pasta.
9. Serve with meat sauce spooned generously on top.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Notes
🍝 Always cook pasta to al dente for texture, adjust for casseroles.
🌿 Use gluten-free pasta for dietary preferences; add eggplant or zucchini for variety.
🌶️ Spice up with cayenne or red pepper flakes for an extra kick.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (vegetarian), 1 hour 10 minutes (meat sauce)
- Simmering (for meat sauce): 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 minutes (vegetarian), 20 minutes (active meat sauce)
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Boiling and Sautéing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Pescatarian (vegetarian version), Omnivore (meat version)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 420 kcal (vegetarian), 650 kcal (meat sauce)
- Sugar: 5 grams
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 14 grams (vegetarian), 28 grams (meat sauce)
- Saturated Fat: 6 grams (vegetarian), 10 grams (meat sauce)
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 grams (vegetarian), 18 grams (meat sauce)
- Trans Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 62 grams
- Fiber: 5 grams
- Protein: 15 grams (vegetarian), 30 grams (meat sauce)
- Cholesterol: 30 mg (vegetarian), 60 mg (meat sauce)