Name: The Prime Caribbean Restaurants Haitian Spaghetti Recipe
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Haitian
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef (or ground pork); 1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped; 0.5 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped; 3 tbs tomato paste; 14 oz tomato sauce; 1 cup water or beef broth; 3 cloves garlic cloves, minced; 2 stalks scallion (green onion), thinly sliced; 0.25 cup parsley, chopped; 1 tsp pimento (sweet pepper) or 1 tsp crushed hot pepper (optional); 1 cube bouillon cube (beef or chicken) or 1 tsp bouillon powder; 2 tbs vegetable oil; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 1 piece scotch bonnet or habanero (optional, whole or pierced); 1 lb dried spaghetti; 6 cups water for boiling; 1 tbs salt for pasta water; 1 tbs butter or oil (optional, to finish pasta); 1 tsp vinegar (white or apple cider) or lime juice; 0.5 tsp sugar; 0.25 cup grated Parmesan or local cheese (optional)

Method

Sauce / Meat

Prepare aromatics

Mince the garlic, finely chop the onion, bell pepper, scallion, and parsley. If using a whole hot pepper, leave whole with a couple of small pierced holes (to flavor without making it too spicy) or finely mince for more heat.

Brown the meat

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook 5–7 minutes until browned and most liquid has evaporated.

Sauté aromatics with meat

Push the meat to one side, add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté 3–4 minutes until softened and fragrant. Stir everything together.

Add tomato elements and seasonings

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to caramelize slightly. Add the tomato sauce, water or beef broth, bouillon cube (crumble it), pimento or crushed hot pepper if using, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine.

Simmer

Add the whole pierced scotch bonnet/habanero if using for background heat (do not burst). Bring sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover partially and simmer 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and flavors meld. If sauce looks too thick, add up to 1/4 cup water.

Finish sauce

Remove the whole hot pepper if used. Stir in the sliced scallions, chopped parsley, vinegar (or lime juice), and sugar. Taste and adjust salt/pepper. Keep sauce warm while you cook the pasta.

Spaghetti

Boil pasta

Bring 6 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the spaghetti and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, according to package directions until al dente (usually 8–10 minutes). Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti.

Toss with sauce

Return the drained spaghetti to the pot or a large skillet over low heat. Add 2–3 ladles of the meat sauce and 2–3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Toss to coat evenly; add more sauce or water to reach your preferred sauciness. If desired, stir in 1 tablespoon butter or oil for shine.

Finishing

Plate the spaghetti, topping each portion with additional meat sauce. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan or local cheese if using and an extra pinch of chopped parsley or scallion for color. Serve hot with a side of pikliz (Haitian pickled cabbage) or a simple green salad.