When I walked into a friend’s apartment for dinner some twenty-five years ago, I smelled a meal cooking and knew it would be delicious. I believe that was the first time I insisted on being given the recipe before I left that evening, and it is the most tried and true recipe I have.
Marissa was a Chicago girl from a Yugoslavian family. When she was little she couldn’t say “macaroni,” so she called her grandmother’s dish of pasta and sauce: Nona’s Moni Roni. I have included the recipe as she originally gave it to me. A palm is the measurement her grandmother used, crinkling up her hand and filling the well of her palm with the spices. A more prosaic substitute would be a teaspoon or so. The ingredients will likely be a surprise, and I suggest you try it as written.
Nona’s Moni Roni (4-6 servings)
1 lb. ground beef,
6 chicken wings,
1 large onion (chopped),
1 toe garlic (chopped fine),
1 palm cinnamon,
1 palm nutmeg,
1 palm black pepper,
1 palm salt,
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce,
1 Tablespoon honey,
1 small can tomato paste,
1 jar (about 28 oz.) commercial tomato sauce with green pepper,
6 prunes,
1/2 box Mostaccioli (or Penne) (8 oz. dry),
olive oil,
2 Tablespoons butter,
Parmesan cheese.
Brown chicken wings in oil and remove from pan. Brown beef and remove from pan. Pour off the fat, and melt butter. Saute onion and garlic until soft. Add all the rest of the ingredients. Add water to raise the level of liquid until just barely covering the beef and chicken. Simmer for 2 hours, until you like the consistency. Remove chicken wings and cool, remove the bones and return meat to the sauce.
Cook and drain the Mostaccioli. Return to pot and cover with the sauce. Cook the pasta and sauce together for at least a few minutes to let the pasta absorb some of the flavor of the sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
This is perfect cold-weather comfort food. Enjoy!
Dinner Plate 