Good Eats (1999–2012): Season 13, Episode 3 - American Classics 4 - full transcript

HELLO AMERICAN COOKS,
I'VE GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU.

IF I WENT THROUGH
YOUR POCKETS RIGHT NOW,

WOULD I FIND A MATCHBOOK
FROM SOME TRENDY

PAN‐ASIAN TAPAS BAR?

HAVE YOU, IN SAY, I DON'T KNOW,
THE LAST SIX MONTHS,

MOVED YOUR GRANDMOTHER'S
RECIPE BOOK OFF THE SHELF

TO MAKE ROOM FOR...

A VOLUME OF NEW AGE HOLISTIC
NORWEGIAN VEGAN CUISINE?

DOES THE MAILMAN PERIODICALLY
PILE YOUR PORTRAIT PARCELS

FROM THE PRETENTIOUS
PANTRY OF THE MONTH CLUB?

HMM‐MM...
JUST AS I FEARED.



IN YOUR EFFORT TO EMBRACE
THE BIG WORLD OF FOOD,

YOU'VE FORGOTTEN
WHERE YOU'RE FROM.

WELL LET ME TELL YOU, BUDDY,
IT'S TIME YOU QUIT CHASING THOSE
KIMCHI PIEROGIES

AND COME ON BACK HOME HERE,
TO AMERICA!

NOW LOOK, WE'VE GOT YOUR
MORSEL COMPASS RIGHT OVER HERE,

EACH ONE OF THE CARDS HERE
IN THIS PLEXIGLASS BOX

BEARS THE NAME OF
A SAD, LONELY,

ENDANGERED LITTLE DISH,

WHICH COULD VERY WELL
DISAPPEAR LIKE THE DODO

IF YOU DON'T DO SOMETHING
ABOUT IT.

HIT IT!

KILL IT‐‐
WE'LL JUST TAKE OUT
A CARD HERE...

AND TODAY'S AMERICAN CLASSIC
IS...

JUMPIN' JEHOSODUCKFAT,
WE'VE HIT PAY DIRT.



YOU KNOW IT, YOU LOVE IT,
AND ODDS ARE...

YOU'VE BEEN GETTING IT
OUT OF A JAR.

IT'S SPAGHETTI AND MEAT SAUCE!

I'M SORRY, WHAT'S THAT?

UH, ITALIAN?

APPARENTLY WE'RE GONNA NEED
A HISTORY LESSON ON TOP OF
OUR COOKING LESSON.

AND THAT'S JUST FINE WITH ME,
BECAUSE SPAGHETTI AND MEAT SAUCE

WAS, IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE...

TO UNLOCK THE SECRETS OF
SPAGHETTI AND MEAT SAUCE,

WE MUST JOURNEY FIRST
TO A CITY FAMOUS FOR
ITS OWN MEAT SAUCE,

BOLOGNA, IN THE EMELIA‐ROMAGNA
REGION OF ITALY.

NOW, IN AMERICA,
"RAGU" MIGHT NOT SOUND VERY
SPECIAL,

BUT THE WORD IS ACTUALLY DERIVED
FROM THE FRENCH, "RAGOUTER,"

MEANING "TO REVIVE THE TASTE,"
AND IT IS ACTUALLY SPECIAL.

NOW, IN THE CASE OF BOLOGNA,
IT IS A MEATY STEW BASED ON
LONG‐SIMMERED AROMATICS,

CARROTS, ONIONS, CELERY,
MINCED MEAT,

A BIT OF TOMATO PRODUCT,
AND ODDLY ENOUGH, MILK.

ALTHOUGH MOST AMERICANS
WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE IT

AS A MEAT SAUCE,

RAGU ALLA BOLOGNESE
IS NO DOUBT THE RICH UNCLE

OF OUR MEAT SAUCE,

WHICH MAY EXPLAIN
WHY THE ENGLISH,

WHO LOVE SPAGHETTI
AND MEAT SAUCE
EVEN MORE THAN AMERICANS,

CALL IT SPAG BOL,
WHICH OF COURSE IS SLANG
FOR SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE.

NO MATTER WHAT COMES OUT
THROUGH THAT DOOR,

I GUARANTEE YOU, IT WON'T
LOOK LIKE WHAT YOU AND I
THINK IT OUGHT TO LOOK LIKE.

HERE'S WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO...

SPAGHETTI‐‐LONG STRANDS OF
DURUM WHEAT PASTA,

EXTRUDED, DRIED, THEN BOILED‐‐
AND RAGU ALLA BOLOGNESE‐‐

A CHUNKY, HEAVY MEAT STEW‐‐

ARE PHYSICALLY INCOMPATIBLE.

IN ITALY, SPAGHETTI IS TOSSED
WITH OIL, CHEESE AND HERBS,

WHILE HEAVY SAUCES ARE MARRIED
TO BIG, TUBE SHAPES,

OR FRESH RIBBONS,
LIKE TAGLIATELLE.

SO HOW DID A DISH
THAT'S UNHEARD OF IN ITALY

BECOME THE POSTER DISH
FOR ITALIAN CUISINE IN THE U. S.?

WELL THE ANSWER CAN BE FOUND
ON A SMALL ISLAND,

BUT I DON'T MEAN CAPRI.

I MEAN, ELLIS...
FROM 1892 TO 1954,

SOME 12 MILLION IMMIGRANTS
BEGAN THEIR AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
HERE.

SOME WERE RICH,
OTHERS...

POOR BEYOND IMAGINING.

MANY HAD THEIR IDENTITIES
CHANGED, WHILE SOME
LOST THEM ALTOGETHER.

NOW CULTURALLY, ELLIS WAS
AN ENGINE OF HOMOGENIZATION,

YOU MIGHT WALK IN TUSCAN,
SICILIAN, OR VENETIAN,

BUT YOU WALKED OUT "ITALIAN,"
AND THE "AMERICAN" CAME
LATER ON.

BOUND BY LITTLE MORE THAN
A COMMON LANGUAGE,

MANY OF THESE STRANGERS
IN A STRANGE LAND

SETTLED IN TIGHT‐KNIT
COMMUNITIES

INSIDE LARGER URBAN LANDSCAPES,

NO LONGER FORCED TO DINE ON
BLACK BREAD AND BEANS,

THE COOKS OF SUCH
"LITTLE ITALIES"
BEGAN TO INNOVATE,

GIVING BIRTH TO MANY OF
THE DISHES THAT AMERICANS
CONSIDER TO BE

ITALIAN TODAY.

WHAT'S MORE, MANY OF THESE
NEW DISHES MOVED ONTO THE PLATES
OF MAINSTREAM AMERICA,

COMPLIMENTS OF AN ACTIVE,
MOTIVATED AND HIGHLY ORGANIZED

ITALIAN‐AMERICAN
MANUFACTURING COMMUNITY.

A GOOD EXAMPLE,
THE POWERFUL NATIONAL MACARONI
MANUFACTURER'S ASSOCIATION,

WHICH WAS LIKE
AN EXTRUDED PASTA CARTEL
IN THE OLD DAYS.

NOW DURING THE 1920's,
THEY PUBLISHED AND DISTRIBUTED

W.A.S.P.‐FRIENDLY...
SHH!

SORRY...RECIPES,
INCLUDING A WILDLY
POPULAR ONE

FOR SOMETHING CALLED
ITALIAN SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS,

WHICH WAS BASICALLY MEAT SAUCE.

WHAT WAS INTERESTING IS
THAT IT WAS COOKED
AND SERVED AS A CASSEROLE...

FASCINATING!

THE ASSOCIATION ALSO OFFERED UP,
UH, SHALL WE SAY,

FANCIFUL FOOD MYTHOLOGIES
IN THEIR MAGAZINE,

"MACARONI JOURNAL."

IN FACT, AN ASSOCIATION WRITER
MAY HAVE ACTUALLY...
SHH!

SORRY...MAY HAVE ACTUALLY
INVENTED THE WHOLE MARCO POLO

BRINGING PASTA TO VENICE
FROM CHINA LEGEND.

NICE PIECE OF VIRAL MARKETING,
THAT.

BUT THE FULL AMERICANIZATION
OF ITALIAN‐AMERICAN CUISINE

WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO WAIT
UNTIL 1953,

WHEN A U. S. ARMY HOSPITAL COOK,

NAMED GARIBALDI LAPOLLA,

WROTE "ITALIAN COOKING
FOR THE AMERICAN KITCHEN,"

WHICH, DESPITE VAST POPULARITY,

WAS ABOUT AS ITALIAN AS
FLORENCE...

HENDERSON‐‐
HA‐HA‐HA‐HA.

AMERICAN MUTTS LIKE ME
WERE RAISED ON FIRE‐ENGINE RED
MEAT SAUCES

BUILT OUT OF HAMBURGER.

NOW THE THING ABOUT HAMBURGER
IS THAT...

WELL, WHAT YOU HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND IS THAT
HAMBURGER CAN...

WELL, YOU TELL 'EM.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
GUIDELINES SAY THAT

NEITHER HAMBURGER, NOR GROUND
MEAT, CAN CONTAIN ANY MORE
THAN 30 PERCENT FAT.

WHOA, THEN WHAT'S
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM?

BEEF FAT CAN BE ADDED
TO HAMBURGER,
BUT NOT TO GROUND MEAT.

AH, WHAT ABOUT GROUND ROUND,
GROUND CHUCK,
OR GROUND SIRLOIN?

THE ONLY RULE THERE IS
THAT ANYTHING IN THE MIXTURE,

LEAN AND FAT ALIKE,
COME FROM THAT CUT,

AND STILL IT CAN CONTAIN
UP TO 30 PERCENT FAT.

AH, BUT WHAT IF THE MEAT
IN QUESTION IS LABELED
AS BEING A CERTAIN PERCENT LEAN?

THAT'S WHERE IT GETS
COMPLICATED.

BECAUSE OF WHAT THE LEGAL
DEFINITION OF WHAT LEAN IS,

WHICH, SINCE 1993,
HAS BEEN ABOUT 3 PERCENT FAT.

SO, DEPENDING ON THE MEAT,
YOU MAY NEED A CALCULATOR
TO GET IT STRAIGHT.

OKAY, WHAT ABOUT GROUND PORK?
THE STANDARD IS 20 PERCENT.

IF IT'S LABELED LEAN,
IT CONTAINS LESS THAN
17 PERCENT FAT,

BUT IT CAN COME FROM
ANYWHERE ON THE PIG.

OKAY, THANKS.

NOW, THIS IS EXACTLY WHY
I BUY CUTS,

AND ASK FOR THEM TO BE
CUSTOM GROUND,

IT'S THE ONLY WAY
TO REALLY BE SURE.

NOW, SINCE WE HAVE ALL THE TIME
IN THE WORLD,

I FIGURE WE MIGHT AS WELL
USE CUTS THAT CAN ACTUALLY

PROFIT FROM LONG COOKING,
NAMELY, SHOULDERS.

SO, MA'AM, I'M GONNA GO WITH
8 OUNCES OF BEEF CHUCK,

AND THE SAME 8 OUNCES
OF PORK BUTT.

BUT, DON'T WORRY,
IT'S NOT ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW...

IT'S SHOULDER TOO,
AND, WOULD YOU GRIND THEM
FOR ME?

COARSE OR FINE?
OOH, EXCELLENT QUESTION,
LOVE TO HEAR THAT.

I WILL TAKE A COARSE GRIND,
PLEASE.

HOWEVER, IN SOME SHOPS,
THAT WOULD BE REFERRED TO
AS A CHILI GRIND,

SAME THING, DON'T WORRY...
NOW WHILE SHE'S DOING THAT,

WE WILL LOOK INTO SOME
SEASONING MEAT, OKAY?

WE NEED SOME OTHER MEAT
TO BRING FLAVOR TO
THE PARTY,

A CURED PORK PRODUCT
WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.

NOW, AUTHENTICITY
WOULD ALMOST DEMAND

THE USE OF PANCETTA,

A TIGHTLY ROLLED FORM
OF BACON THAT IS AIR‐DRIED,
UNSMOKED.

BUT I LIKE THE SMOKE,
SO I'M GONNA GO WITH
6 OUNCES,

THAT'S ABOUT FIVE RASHERS
OF BIG, THICK‐CUT

SLAB AMERICAN BACON.

TO SOME FOLKS,
THE IMAGE OF A SAUCE POT
BURBLING LONG AND LOW

ON A BACK BURNER TENDED BY
SOMEONE'S LOVIN' MAMA

IS COMFORTING AND MAGICAL,

AN EMOTIONAL POSTCARD
FROM THE ERA OF
HEARTH AND HOME.

BUT, FOR OTHERS,
IT'S A SICKLY REMINDER OF
SPOOKY CHILDHOOD STORIES

OF WITCHES TENDING CAULDRONS
IN MOONLIT CLEARINGS

WHERE NOT ALL MAGIC IS GOOD,
OR GOOD EATS.

EITHER WAY, ONE POT SAUCES
ARE REALLY A TRADITION
BORNE OF NECESSITY.

SEE, EVEN IN THE EARLY
2Oth CENTURY,

MANY PEOPLE ONLY
HAD FUEL TO HEAT ONE POT.

THESE DAYS MOST OF US
CAN HEAT SEVERAL AT A TIME,

TO DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES,
NO LESS,

A FACT THAT I PLAN TO
TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF...

NOW, EXCUSE ME, LADIES,
I COOK ALONE!

HERE WE HAVE AN 8‐QUART
CAST IRON DUTCH OVEN,

KNOWN FAR AND WIDE
FOR ITS ABILITY TO COOK
LOW AND SLOW.

WE'LL ALSO BE EMPLOYING
THE 4‐QUART STRAIGHT SIDED

STAINLESS STEEL SAUTE PAN

KNOWN FAR AND WIDE
FOR ITS ABILITY TO
TAKE HIGH LEVELS OF HEAT

AND FOR GIVING
QUICK EVAPORATION.

OUR STRATEGY IS GOING TO BE
TO BUILD THE SAUCE OVER HERE,

BUT WE'RE GONNA FEED IT
INGREDIENTS FROM HERE,

THAT WAY, WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE
THE FLAVORS KIND OF
AT THEIR PEAK,

AND DONENESS WILL HOPEFULLY BE
ALL SYNCHED UP,

SO THE SAUCE CAN BE
ALL IT CAN BE.

NOW IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
THE SAUTE PAN GO ON

WHATEVER YOUR
BEEFIEST BURNER IS,

MINE IS OVER HERE,
THE DUTCH OVEN CAN GO ON

A RELATIVELY LOW BURNER.

I'M GONNA GO AHEAD
AND GET THIS GOING TO LOW,

AND THE FIRST INGREDIENT,
NATURALLY, WILL BE...

I'M GONNA RENDER THAT OUT
NICE AND SLOW.

MEANWHILE, FINELY CHOP
TWO WHOLE ONIONS

AND THREE STALKS OF CELERY,

THEN MINCE THREE CLOVES
OF GARLIC

AND SLICE TWO MORE.

AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST...

GO INTO A COTTON SPICE BAG,
YOU CAN FIND THESE
ON THE INTERNET,

AND THEN JUST...
SMACK THE BEJEEPERS OUT OF IT.

WHEN THE BACON IS DONE,
GET IT OUT AND DRAIN IT
ON SOME PAPER TOWELS.

NOW THAT WE HAVE
THE NICE HOT FAT...

ALONG WITH...

AND...

OH, AND OF COURSE,
OUR SPICE BAG.

THAT GOES IN...

LOW HEAT UNTIL
THE ONIONS BREAK DOWN

AND CARAMELIZE.

IT'S GONNA TAKE
45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR

AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO STIR
EVERY FEW MINUTES
TO KEEP BURNING AT BAY.

IN THE MEANTIME,
PLACE YOUR SAUTE PAN
OVER THE HIGHEST HEAT

THAT YOU CAN POSSIBLY MANAGE,

AND ADD...

NOT EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL,

JUST GOOD, OLD‐FASHIONED
OLIVE OIL, BECAUSE THAT
CAN TAKE THE HEAT.

THE MEAT, IN THE REFRIGERATOR,
REMEMBER WE GOT A COARSE GRIND

ON BOTH THE BUTT AND THE CHUCK.

SO WE WANT TO GET THIS
INTO THE HOTTEST PAN
THAT WE CAN

BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING FOR
THE MAILLARD REACTION, OKAY?

WE WANT ALL THE FLAVOR
THAT WILL BE PRODUCED

FROM FAST, HIGH BROWNING.

AND IF YOU WANT TO,
YOU CAN BRING THAT TO
ROOM TEMPERATURE BEFORE COOKING,

BUT IT'S NOT REALLY NECESSARY
WITH THESE TEMPERATURES.

SO INTO THE PAN,

AND IF IT DOESN'T SIZZLE
RIGHT AWAY,

THEN ODDS ARE GOOD
YOU DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH HEAT.

I WANT TO KEEP THIS MOVING
FOR AT LEAST 4 TO 5 MINUTES,

OTHERWISE YOU MIGHT HAVE
LIQUID PUDDLE UP,

AND THAT WOULD GIVE A STEWING,
NOT THE SEARING WE DESIRE.

ALL RIGHT, THE MEAT IS GOOD
AND BROWN,

SO MOVE THAT TO A COLANDER
SET OVER A BOWL,

LET IT DRAIN UNTIL WE ARE READY
TO IMPLEMENT IT FURTHER.

NOW, THE PAN GOES RIGHT BACK
ON THE HEAT.

NOW IF WE'VE DONE OUR JOB
PROPERLY,

THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF NICE
LITTLE BROWN BITS THERE,
STUCK TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN.

THAT IS FLAVOR WE DON'T WANT
TO WASTE.

SO WE DEGLAZE WITH...

THAT'S RIGHT, IN THIS CASE
I'M USING A CHARDONNAY.

NOW I KNOW RED IS
ALL THAT'S SYNONYMOUS
WITH ITALIAN,

BUT WHAT WE REALLY NEED HERE
IS SOME SWEETNESS,

SOME KIND OF WOODY FLAVOR,
AND SOME BRIGHT ACIDITY.

RED'S FULL OF BOSSY STUFF,
LIKE TANNINS AND STUFF,

THAT TEND TOWARDS ASTRINGENCY
WHEN COOKED,

WE DON'T NEED THAT.

SO, SCRAPE AND BOIL UNTIL
ALL THE STUCK‐ON BITS ARE GONE

AND THEN, KILL THE HEAT.

ALL RIGHT, AS YOU CAN SEE
BY LOOKING DOWN INTO
OUR DUTCH OVEN,

THE ONIONS HAVE GREATLY REDUCED,
BUT THEY'RE NICE AND MAHOGANY
BROWN,

SO IT'S TIME TO BRING ON
THE SECOND WAVE OF AROMATICS...

THEY GO RIGHT IN,

AND JUST CONTINUE COOKING
OVER THE LOW HEAT

FOR 30 MINUTES, OR UNTIL
YOU CAN SMELL GARLIC AND CELERY
ALL THE WAY OUT IN THE YARD.

THIS WOULD, BY THE WAY,
BE A NICE TO CRANK UP
SOME PUCCINI,

YOU KNOW, JUST FOR ATMOSPHERE.

EXCELLENT.

OKAY, THE FAT SOLUBLE FLAVORS
FROM THE SPICES HAVE BEEN
EXTRACTED,

SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD
AND REMOVE THE LITTLE BAG.

NEXT, THE MEAT GOES INTO
THE DUTCH OVEN,

AND THE REDUCED WINE,
WITH ALL THE LITTLE JUICY BITS,

THAT GOES IN TOO.

NOW WE'RE STILL MAINTAINING THIS
OVER LOW HEAT.

NOW WE'RE GONNA ADD ANOTHER...

AND...

NOT, I REPEAT, NOT
SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK.

EVAPORATED MILK IS REALLY
JUST MILK THAT'S BEEN COOKED
AND CANNED,

AND I LIKE IT BECAUSE
IT HAS CONSIDERABLE
FLAVOR AND BODY,

AND IT WON'T CURDLE
WHEN IT MEETS UP
WITH THE ACID IN THE WINE,

AND THAT'S CRITICAL.

ALSO GONNA ADD...

THIS CAN BE CANNED OR CARTONED.

OH AND THIS IS WHERE
I USUALLY ADD

A LITTLE BOLETUS EDULIS.

BEHOLD, THE PORCINI MUSHROOM,

UNIQUE IN THE FUNGAL WORLD,
DUE TO ITS...

WHICH ARE DUE
IN LARGE PART TO...

THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT IN MSG.

NOW PORCINIS, WHICH ARE
QUITE RARE IN THIS COUNTRY,

IN THE FRESH FORM AT LEAST,

ALSO CONTAIN...

AND LUCKILY...

WILL ADD AN EARTHY DEPTH
TO ALL THAT MEATY GOODNESS,

BUT, ODDS ARE, NO ONE
WILL EVER KNOW IT'S THERE.

NOW YOU'RE GONNA LET THIS HEAT
VERY SLOWLY,

AND COOK VERY SLOWLY, COVERED,

OVER LOW HEAT FOR THREE HOURS,
THAT'S RIGHT, HOURS.

THE GOAL IS TO SLOWLY
BREAK DOWN THE CONNECTIVE TISSUE

THAT'S STILL IN THE MEAT,
THUS EXTRACTING ALL OF

THE GELATIN POSSIBLE.

REMEMBER, AT THIS POINT,
IT'S BASICALLY A STEW,
AND STEWS TAKE TIME.

JUST REMEMBER, LIFT THE LID
EVERY HALF HOUR
AND GIVE IT A STIR.

ALL RIGHT, THE DUTCH OVEN
HAS BEEN PERKING AWAY
FOR 1 1/2 HOURS,

SO WE'LL GIVE THAT A STIR
AND THEN TURN OUR ATTENTION...

TO THE SAUTE PAN.

NOW WE ARE GOING TO BUILD
THE TOMATO, HERB, ACID
PART OF THE SAUCE.

THE WAY I SEE THIS,
IT'S REALLY THE PICKIEST PART
OF THE PROCESS,

BECAUSE IT INVOLVES
VERY CAREFUL REDUCTIONS,

SO I WANT TO KEEP THAT OUT
OF THE MEAT UNTIL...

I'M COMPLETELY HAPPY WITH IT.

SO...

GOES OVER MEDIUM HEAT,

ALONG WITH...

AND JUST KEEP THAT MOVING
AROUND UNTIL IT'S FRAGRANT,
30 TO 45 SECONDS, TOPS.

THERE, NOW ADD...

ALONG WITH...

AND...

JUST STIR THAT IN
AND LET THIS COOK

UNTIL MOST OF THE LIQUID
HAS EVAPORATED,
25 TO 30 MINUTES.

ALL RIGHT, DECREASE THE HEAT
TO LOW,

AND STIR IN...

AND...

WHICH IS JUST AS SWEET
AS BALSAMIC,

JUST NOT AS, WELL,
GROTESQUELY OVERUSED.

I ALSO LIKE TO GIVE THIS...

AND ANOTHER...

TO HELP BRING OUT
THE ALCOHOL SOLUBLE FLAVORS

IN THE TOMATOES.

AND, THEN I ADD 1 TABLESPOON
OF A SECRET INGREDIENT,

I'M NOT GONNA SHOW YOU,
NO, NO, GET AWAY,
I'M NOT GONNA SHOW YOU.

ALL RIGHT, IT'S...
THERE'S JUST NO REPLACING IT,
I'M AFRAID.

ALL RIGHT, LET THIS SIMMER
NICE AND LOW FOR 30 MINUTES...

OH, AND GO AHEAD AND GIVE
THE MEAT ANOTHER STIR

SO THAT IT DOESN'T STICK.

OKAY, THE FINAL ADJUSTMENT
TO THE TOMATO TEAM,

AND THIS IS A LITTLE BIT
UNUSUAL.

ADD ANOTHER...

AND THEN TURN THE HEAT UP
TO MEDIUM HIGH.

WE'RE GONNA FRY THIS STUFF
TO GIVE IT
AN EVEN DEEPER FLAVOR,

AND CARAMELIZE SOME OF
THE SUGARS THAT ARE IN THERE.

JUST KEEP IT MOVING FOR
2 TO 3 MINUTES

OR IT WILL STICK,
AND IT WILL BURN.

THERE, THAT HAS GOT
AS MUCH FLAVOR IN IT
AS WE CAN POSSIBLY DEVELOP.

SO WE NOW MOVE THAT INTO
THE MEAT MIXTURE,

AND WE'LL FINALLY HAVE
A FINISHED SAUCE.

BELIEVE ME,
THIS HAS ALL BEEN WORTH IT.

NOW WE'RE GONNA KEEP THIS
BARELY SIMMERING

UNTIL THE PASTA IS DONE,
UNCOVERED, PLEASE.

AS WE DISCOVERED EARLIER,
WHEN IN BOLOGNA,

YOU WILL NO DOUBT ENJOY
MEAT SAUCES TOSSED WITH
WIDE NOODLES,

LIKE FETTUCCINE
AND TAGLIATELLE.

BUT THIS IS AMERICA,
AND LIKE THE ENGLISH BEFORE US,

WE WANT OUR SPAGHETTI
AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE IT.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT,
AT LEAST MAKE IT
A NICE ITALIAN SPAGHETTI,

BECAUSE THEY TEND TO BE
A LITTLE BIT THICKER
THAN OUR DOMESTIC PRODUCT.

NOW FOR SIX PEOPLE,
I'M GONNA GO WITH 1/2 POUND,

BECAUSE I ACTUALLY LIKE
TO SERVE A LITTLE BIT
MORE SAUCE THAN NOODLES.

FOR ANY AMOUNT OF PASTA
UNDER A POUND,

I BOIL...

THE WAY I FIGURE IT,
PASTA NEEDS PLENTY OF ROOM
TO MOVE AROUND,

SO THAT IT COOKS EVENLY
AND DOES NOT STICK.

ALSO, A LOT OF WATER
MEANS A LOT OF HEAT,

A LOT OF HEAT
MEANS QUICK COOKING,

AND I THINK THAT LEADS
TO A MORE TOOTHSOME PRODUCT.

NOTICE ALSO, PLEASE,
I LIKE A BIG, BUT NARROW POT.

I THINK THAT IT ENHANCES
THE CONVECTIVE ACTION
OF THE WATER,

MINIMIZES EVAPORATION,
AND ALSO HELPS TO PREVENT
BOIL‐OVERS.

I ALSO LIKE A LOT OF SALT.

I GO WITH...

PER GALLON OF WATER,

AFTER ALL, THIS IS
THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE

TO SEASON THE INSIDE
OF THE NOODLES.

SALT'S IN, ROLLING BOIL,
SPAGHETTI GOES IN ALL AT ONCE.

AND I LIKE TO KEEP IT MOVING
IN JUST THE FIRST FEW MOMENTS

BECAUSE A LOT OF STICKING
CAN HAPPEN HERE.

MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT HIGH HEAT

TO BRING THE BOIL BACK
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,

AND DROP THE HEAT
TO MAINTAIN IT.

BEFORE WE GO SETTING A TIMER,

KEEP IN MIND THIS IS
AN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT,

DIFFERENCES IN THE WHEAT
HARVEST,

OR HOW LONG THE NOODLES
HAVE BEEN ON THE SHELF,
CAN ALL AFFECT COOKING TIME.

BUT, 5 MINUTES IS A PRETTY GOOD
PLACE TO START, I'LL BE BACK.

ALL RIGHT, TIME'S UP,
WE TASTE...

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR HERE
IS NOT AL DENTE,

BUT SOMETHING JUST SHY
OF AL DENTE.

I ACTUALLY WANT JUST
A HAIR OF CRUNCH
STILL ON THE BACK OF MY TEETH.

ONLY ONE WAY TO FIND OUT...

PERFECT‐‐WE DRAIN.

AND MOVE THE NOODLES
STRAIGHT INTO THE MEAT SAUCE.

THAT'S RIGHT, WE ARE NOT
GOING TO SERVE THE SAUCE

OVER THE PASTA,
AS YOU SEE DONE SO OFTEN.

YOU SEE, BY ALLOWING THE NOODLES
TO FINISH COOKING,

SAY, 4 TO 5 MINUTES
OVER LOW HEAT IN THE SAUCE,

THEY'LL ACTUALLY DRINK UP
SOME OF THAT GOODNESS THAT
WE HAVE WORKED SO HARD TO MAKE.

AND, SOME OF THE STARCH COAT
FROM THE NOODLES

WILL BOND, LIKELY,
TO THE MEAT SAUCE,

AND THAT'S GONNA HELP
TO MAKE UP FOR THE FACT THAT,

WELL, TECHNICALLY SPEAKING,
THESE TWO JUST AREN'T
VERY PHYSICALLY COMPATIBLE.

ONE OTHER BREAK WITH
TRADITION...

PARMESAN CHEESE...

USUALLY SPRINKLED ON
AT THE LAST MOMENT,

NOT ME, IT ALL GOES IN.

AND THAT WAY WE GET
THE FLAVORS TO MELD.

WELL I HOPE THAT THE LAST
HALF HOUR HAS SNAPPED

A NEW HEADING LINE ON
YOUR APPETITE'S GPS,

WHICH, AT THIS VERY MOMENT,
SHOULD BE GUIDING YOU HOME.

NOW I KNOW IT'S EASY
IN THIS AGE OF EDIBLE IRONY

TO PASS ON A GOOD OL' PLATE
OF SPAGHETTI AS, I DON'T KNOW,

A QUAINT ANACHRONISM
OF A NAIVE CULINARY AGE.

EASY,
BUT DEAD STINKIN' WRONG.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON
"GOOD EATS."

Closed Captions Provided by
Scripps Networks, LLC.