SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS
Source of Recipe
Cook's Illustrated Magazine
Recipe Introduction
The editors of Cook's Illustrated Magazine, who analyze recipes and try them from every angle,offer this 15-minute sauce in their cookbook America's Test Kitchen, from the public television show of the same name.
List of Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
--Meatballs--
2 slices white sandwich bread (crusts discarded), torn into small pieces
1/2 cup buttermilk or 6 tablespoons plain yogurt thinned with 2 tablespoons
whole milk
1 pound ground meat (preferably 3/4 pound ground chuck and 1/4 pound ground
pork)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper
About 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil for pan-frying
--Smooth Tomato Sauce--
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
1 pound spaghetti
Fresly grated Parmesan cheese
Recipe
For the meatballs: Combine bread and buttermilk in small bowl and let stand,
mashing occasionally with fork, until smooth paste forms, about 10 minutes.
Place ground meat, cheese, parsley, egg yolk, garlic, salt, and pepper to
taste in medium bowl. Add bread-milk mixture and combine until evenly mixed.
Shape 3 tablespoons of mixture into 1 1/2-inch-round meatball. (When forming
meatballs, use a light touch. If you compact the meatballs too much, they
can become dense and hard.) You should be able to form about 14 meatballs.
Pour vegetable oil into 10- or 11-inch saute pan to depth of 1/4 inch. Turn
flame to medium-high. After several minutes, test oil with edge of meatball.
When oil sizzles, add meatballs in single layer. Fry, turning several times,
until nicely browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Regulate heat as needed
to keep oil sizzling but not smoking. Transfer browned meatballs to plate
lined with paper towels and set aside.
Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in large pot for pasta.
For the sauce: Meanwhile, discard oil in a pan but leave behind any browned
bits. Add olive oil for tomato sauce along with garlic and saute over medium
heat, scraping up browned bits, just until garlic is golden, about 30
seconds. Add tomatoes, bring to boil and simmer gently until sauce thickens,
about 10 minutes. Stir in basil and salt and pepper to taste. Add meatballs
and simmer, turning them occasionally, until heated through, about 5
minutes. Keep warm over low flame.
Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to boiling water. Cook until al
dente, drain and return to pot. Ladle several large spoonfuls of sauce
(without meatballs) over spaghetti and toss until noodles are well-coated.
Divide pasta among individual bowls and top each with a little more tomato
sauce and 2 or 3 meatballs. Serve immediately with grated cheese passed
separately.
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