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Turkish Ground Meat and Pasta

Turkish Ground Beef and Pasta: Review of Bruce Aidell's Great Meat Cookbook

Adapted from Bruce Aidell
Course One Pot Pasta
Cuisine Turkish
Keyword ground beef, pasta
Author TheSpicedLife

Ingredients

  • 2-3 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 t whole brown mustard seeds
  • 1 t whole fennel seeds
  • 1 t whole cumin seeds
  • 1 1/2 large red onions, chopped
  • 1/2 t ground black pepper
  • 2 t ground coriander
  • 1 t ground cumin
  • 2 t crumbled Turkish oregano
  • 1/2 t cinnamon
  • 1 pinch of ground allspice
  • 2 pinches ground cloves
  • 1 t dried mint
  • 1 t dried tart cherry powder, optional
  • 2 T minced garlic
  • 1 zucchini, diced
  • 1 sweet bell pepper, diced
  • 1-1 1/2 lbs ground beef
  • 1 15 oz. can of fire roasted tomatoes
  • 2 T pomegranate molasses
  • 1/2 cup water
  • You can substitute half cup of pomegranate juice for the two items above
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 T lemon juice, I subbed 1 teaspoon lemon powder, to taste
  • chopped fresh mint for garnish, parsley would be great also, but I did not have any
  • 1 lb dry pasta, your choice of shapes, cooked to al dente

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large saute pan or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the mustard seeds and cover with a lid slightly ajar. When they finish popping, add the fennel and cumin seeds. Roast in the oil for 30-60 seconds, until darkened and fragrant. Add the onions with a pinch of salt.
  2. Cook the onions for 10 minutes. While the onions are cooking whisk together the following: black pepper, ground coriander, ground cumin, Turkish oregano, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, dried mint and tart cherry powder (if you have it). Set aside.
  3. Add the garlic, zucchini and sweet bell pepper. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add the spice mix you whisked together and cook for 30-60 seconds, tossing and toasting the spices.
  5. Add the ground beef with a hefty pinch of salt. Break into smalled clumps and toss, browning the meat.
  6. While the meat is browning, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta to al dente. Reserve some of the pasta water.
  7. When the meat is totally browned, add the fire roasted tomatoes. Add the pomegranate juice or pomegranate molasses and water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally and scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the lemon juice (or lemon powder). Reduce the heat to simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
  8. Toss the cooked pasta into the cooked ground meat. If it is too dry (mine was not), add about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
  9. Taste for additional salt and lemon juice.
  10. Sprinkle with chopped fresh mint and serve hot with plain Greek yogurt on the side.