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–+ servings

Pasta Mortem

Add screams of delight to spaghetti night by making these macabre meatballs skulls using a mold from Shaped Ice Molds. They're To. Die. For. 🔪
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Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Halloween Food, Italian
Keyword: Halloween, marinara, pasta, Sausage, skull meatballs, spaghetti
Servings: 6

Equipment

Ingredients

Pasta Mortem

  • 8 oz. Mild Italian sausage
  • ½ medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • ½ cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 tbsp. parsley, dried
  • ½ tsp. Italian seasoning
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • 1 egg
  • 12 oz. spaghetti noodles, cooked
  • 1 jar spaghetti sauce (Or try my Easy Marinara sauce below)
  • parmesan cheese and basil (garnish)

Easy Marinara Sauce

  • ½ medium onion, chopped
  • 2 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 28 oz. can San Marzano tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp. basil
  • 2 tbsp. cream (optional)
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Skull Meatballs (Make ahead)

  • Puree sausage, onion garlic, seasonings, ricotta and egg in a food processor. Spoon mixture into skull mold, pressing the mixture in the mold. Freeze briefly ~20 minutes and press slightly frozen mixture down into the mold, then freeze for a minimum of one hour and unmold. Repeat with remaining meat mixture. Makes approximately 3.5 dozen. Place molded skulls in a freezer safe container and keep frozen until ready to bake.

Easy Marinara (Make ahead)

  • Cook onions and carrots in a medium saucepan over medium heat until onions are translucent ~8 minutes. Add San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, seasonings, tomato paste and turn heat down to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, puree and 2 tablespoons of cream add salt and pepper to taste. This sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Pasta Mortem

  • Preheat oven to 350°. Place frozen skulls on a parchment lined cookie sheet allow them to thaw slightly while the oven comes to temperature.
  • Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Heat your favorite spaghetti sauce in a large saucepan and allow to simmer on low while the meatballs bake.
  • Bake skull meatballs for 10 minutes at 350°. Remove from oven and add them to your favorite marinara sauce to coat* and serve immediately over cooked spaghetti. Garnish with chopped basil and parmesan cheese.
    *I don't recommend cooking the skull meatballs in the sauce as the skull details will be lost. Baking first, and coating them with sauce retains the details best. Serve immediately.

Notes

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