Not Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs

These are not Italian Meatballs and Spaghetti…why? Well, according to most sources, Spaghetti and Meatballs is not a native Italian dish. Meatballs? Yes. Spaghetti? Most certainly! Oh, you can find this combination at some restaurants in Italy that cater to Americans. But not at traditional Italian restaurants in Italy. Seems like a silly semantics issue, but nonetheless, it is what it is…or, something like that. This recipe for meatballs and a basic tomato sauce is Italian. They’re the right size to be called that, golf ball size (unlike the unwieldy giant balls found in some American recipes). And, the ingredients are authentic (to the best of my knowledge). After years of making Italian meatballs (including many epic fails) I settled on this version that is easy, savory, fresh, includes a basic tomato sauce recipe, and lends itself well to being served atop spaghetti. Among other things, I substituted lean ground beef for ground veal and Italian sausage for the pork part of it. Please keep in mind when baking the meatballs…the size, the temperature, and your oven will vary. Just remember, it’s OK to under-bake them a little as they will finish cooking in the sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Panko crumbs

• 6 ounces of cream

• 1 tbsp canola oil

• 1/2 cup white onions, minced

• 1 tsp granulated garlic

• 12 ounces of lean ground beef, 85/15 grind

• 12 ounces of Italian sauce, I use 3 Johnsonville Italian sausages, skins removed, crumbled

• 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, finely grated

• 1/4 cup fresh minced parsley, plus more for garnish

• 1 large egg

• Kosher salt

• Fresh cracked black pepper

• Fresh made Tomato sauce, recipe below

• About 1 pound of dry spaghetti

• BASIC TOMATO SAUCE:

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 4 medium leaves of fresh basil

• 1 clove of garlic, thin sliced

• Pinch of red pepper flakes

• One 32-ounce can of San Marzano tomatoes (drained and run through a food processor) or crushed tomatoes, drained

• 1/2 cup red wine

Directions:

• Soak the Panko crumbs in the cream in a mixer bowl

• Prepare the tomato sauce. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil, sliced garlic, basil, and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 2 minutes, do not let the garlic burn. Add the tomatoes, heat and cook about 10 minutes. Use right away or cool in the refrigerator until ready to use.

• In the meantime, heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat and add the canola oil. Sauté the onions until they are translucent. Add the sliced garlic for another 30 seconds. Add the rosemary, remove from the heat, mix, then cool completely in a bowl in the refrigerator.

• Crumble the ground beef and Italian sausage while adding it to the mixer bowl. Add the cooled onion mixture, the grated Parmesan, chopped parsley, and egg. With the mixing paddle, begin mixing at low speed, adding some Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated, about 5 minutes.

• Heat some olive oil in a small frying pan and cook a small sample of the mixture. Taste. And reseason as neccessary.

• Form into golf ball sized meatballs and place on a baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour. I made mine a tad smaller.

• Preheat the oven to 375F. Bake the meatballs until well browned, about 18 minutes, turning halfway through. Please keep in mind that if you want bigger meatballs, the cooking time will need to be increased.

• Add the browned meatballs to the simmering tomato sauce. Simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and tender, about 20 minutes.

• Cook and drain the spaghetti, place back in the pan in which it was cooked. Add 1 cup of tomato sauce to the spaghetti and toss thoroughly.

• Plate portions of the spaghetti. Top with a few meat balls and sauce, add some fresh cracked black pepper, garnish with Parmesan, and serve.