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Old World Spaghetti and Meatballs

Source of Recipe

From "In the Kitchen with David" by David Venable


Recipe Introduction

"A bowl of spaghetti with homemade sauce, some meatballs, and a sprinkle of Parmesan is my idea of comfort."

List of Ingredients

Sauce:
â—¦ 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
â—¦ ½ yellow onion, chopped
â—¦ 3 cloves garlic, chopped
â—¦ 2 (28-ounce) cans Italian plum tomatoes
â—¦ ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
â—¦ ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
â—¦ ¼ cup dry red wine
â—¦ 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

Meatballs:
â—¦ ¾ cup fresh bread cubes
â—¦ 2 large eggs
â—¦ 1 onion, grated
â—¦ ½ cup milk
â—¦ ½ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
â—¦ 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
â—¦ 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
â—¦ 2 teaspoons kosher salt
â—¦ 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 2 pounds mixed ground beef, pork, and veal
â—¦ 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

â—¦ 1 ½ pounds spaghetti or other long, thin pasta
â—¦ ¼ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano


Recipe

To make the sauce:
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until it is beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the basil, and parsley, and stir to combine. Using a potato masher, gently crush the tomatoes and continue to cook until the sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Stir in the red wine and return the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and season the sauce with salt to taste. Simmer the sauce while preparing the meatballs.

To make the meatballs:
Combine the bread cubes, eggs, onion, milk, pecorino, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Using your hands, add the meat mixture and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overwork or the meatballs will be tough. Form the mixture into 2-inch balls.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Working in batches, brown the meatballs on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Transfer the meatballs to the pot with the sauce and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce is thick, 30 to 45 minutes. (Alternatively, bake the meatballs in a 325° F oven until they are cooked through, about 30 minutes.)

While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until it is al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes.

To serve, spread a thin layer of sauce on each plate. Top with pasta, more sauce, and meatballs, and sprinkle with the Pecorino.

Makes 6 servings