Beef Spaghetti Ragu For Dinner With Greek Pita Pockets For Lunch

Step 1

Place a foil-lined baking sheet on a middle rack and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry all produce. Quarter and peel onion; finely dice three quarters and thinly slice remaining. Mince garlic. Finely chop feta. Quarter mushrooms. Peel and trim carrot, then finely chop. Thinly slice cucumber into rounds.

Step 2

In a large bowl, combine panko, za’atar, half the beef, half the garlic, half the feta, 2 TBSP diced onion, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Form into 8 equal-sized meatballs. Drizzle lined baking sheet with olive oil. Place meatballs on prepared sheet. Bake until browned and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Step 3

Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add remaining beef; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until browned, 6-8 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Drain off and discard any excess fat. Add mushrooms and carrot to pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.

Step 4

Add remaining diced onion and remaining garlic to pot. Cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add reserved beef, Tuscan Heat Spice, tomatoes, ⅔ cup water, and salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium low and cook, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot, until thickened, about 10 minutes.

Step 5

Meanwhile, add spaghetti to boiling water. Cook until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Drain pasta, then stir into cooked ragù. Turn off heat. Stir in half the Parmesan, 1 TBSP butter, salt, and pepper. Divide between plates. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.

Step 6

Halve pitas crosswise. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, a drizzle of olive oil, and as much remaining feta as you like; season with salt and pepper. Divide meatballs between 2 reusable containers. Divide sour cream sauce between 2 more reusable containers. Pack pitas, cucumber, and sliced onion in 2 zip-close bags. Just before eating, warm meatballs in microwave. Stuff pitas with meatballs, cucumber, and onion; drizzle with sauce.