Filipino-Style Spaghetti
Baon: Tupperware Memories & The Packed Lunch
This is the spaghetti of legendary birthday parties and the ultimate packed lunch, defying Italian traditions with absolute, unapologetic joy. The secret to its addictive, nostalgic flavor is banana ketchup—a brilliant wartime Filipino invention—and a grandmother’s trick of adding a splash of evaporated milk to round out the sweetness. Don't skip the hotdogs; they are the soul of the dish, searing into smoky little coins that soak up a sauce destined to be even better out of a Tupperware container tomorrow.
Ingredients
- dried spaghetti1 lb
- neutral cooking oil1 tbsp
- beef or pork hotdogs6 large
- lean ground pork1/2 lb
- lean ground beef1/2 lb
- yellow onion1 med
- garlic5 large
- carrot1 small
- plain tomato sauce15 oz
- tomato paste3 tbsp
- banana ketchup1 cup
- beef broth1 cup
- dark brown sugar3 tbsp
- soy sauce1 tbsp
- fish sauce1 tbsp
- evaporated milk1/4 cup
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- Velveeta cheese1 cup
Method
- 01
Sear the sliced hotdogs in oil until the edges are nicely browned and slightly blistered.
Heat the neutral oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pan-fry the hotdogs for 3 to 4 minutes to draw out their smoky flavor and kickstart the Maillard reaction. Remove them with a slotted spoon, leaving the savory oil behind.
- 02
Sweat the onions and carrots in the residual hotdog oil until translucent.
Lower the heat to medium. Sauté the aromatics for 3 to 4 minutes to build a naturally sweet base, then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until highly fragrant.
- 03
Add the ground beef and pork, cooking until deeply browned.
Break the meat apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks. If it renders an excessive amount of grease, spoon out half, leaving just enough to flavor the sauce.
- 04
Stir in the tomato paste, cooking for one minute, before adding the wet ingredients.
Cooking the paste eliminates its raw, metallic flavor. Pour in the tomato sauce, banana ketchup, beef broth, brown sugar, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Return the browned hotdogs to the pot and stir well to combine.
- 05
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes.
This long, slow simmer allows the acidity to mellow and the sugars from the ketchup to caramelize into the rendered fats. Stir occasionally.
- 06
Remove from heat and stir in the evaporated milk and black pepper.
This is the grandmother's trick: the evaporated milk rounds out the aggressive sweetness and provides a luxurious mouthfeel. Taste and adjust with a pinch of salt only if necessary.
- 07
Boil the spaghetti in heavily salted water until 1 to 2 minutes shy of al dente.
Before draining the pasta, scoop out a half cup of the starchy pasta water.
- 08
Vigorously toss the drained hot pasta directly into the pot of meat sauce over low heat.
Add a splash of the reserved pasta water to help the sauce cling to every noodle. Serve immediately in warm bowls, topped generously with shredded Velveeta.
Notes
Let it sit overnight for the ultimate packed lunch.
Tossing the pasta directly in the sauce means it acts like a sponge in the fridge. Microwaved the next day, it becomes a dense, ultra-flavorful brick of pure nostalgia.
A note on Banana Ketchup.
Seek out UFC or Jufran brand banana ketchup at your local Asian grocer. If it is entirely inaccessible, you can substitute 1 cup of standard tomato ketchup mixed with 3 extra tablespoons of brown sugar, though you will miss its unique spice profile.
From Cook Filipino in America.