Recipes Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Lamb, Tomato, and Cumin Sauce 4.0 (2,293) 1 Review A Middle Eastern version of the spaghetti with meat sauce we all know and love, this pasta should find a ready audience. It's good with macaroni or with plain spaghetti. Slideshow: Middle Eastern Recipes By Food & Wine Editors Updated on March 8, 2017 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Helene Dujardin Yield: 4 Ingredients 2 tablespoons cooking oil 1 onion (chopped) 2 cloves garlic (chopped) 1 pound ground lamb 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 ½ cups canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (one 16-ounce can) 1 ¾ teaspoons salt ¾ pound whole-wheat spaghetti ½ teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper ⅓ cup chopped fresh mint or parsley Directions In a large frying pan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and then the lamb. Cook until the meat is no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cumin, tomatoes, and salt. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the spaghetti until just done, about 15 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce, pepper, and mint. Notes Variation Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Meat Sauce: You can substitute 1 pound of ground beef for the ground lamb. Use the same procedure, but decrease the cumin to 11/2 teaspoons and use parsley rather than mint. Suggested Pairing The spiciness of the cumin, the earthiness of the whole-wheat spaghetti, and the gaminess of the lamb are best with a full-bodied, slightly rough red wine such as a Côtes-du-Rhône from the southern part of France. Rate it Print