JUST NOT MAINSTREAM

Traditional Spaghetti and Meatballs. Bringing back my Italian roots I always love home-made meatballs.

 

Prep 40m     Cook 1h 20m

 

Ingredients:

 

Meatballs:

• 1/2 pound ground veal

• 1/2 pound ground pork

• 1 pound ground beef

• 1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)

• 1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1 extra-large egg, beaten

• vegetable oil

• olive oil

 

Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)

• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (3 cloves)

• 1/2 cup red wine (chianti)

• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaved parsley

• 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 

Pasta:

• 1 1/2 pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package directions (7 minutes al dente)

• freshly grated Parmesan

 

Directions:

 

Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.

 

Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4-inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat. turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Dont crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but dont clean the pan.

 

For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scaping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.

 

Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grate Parmesan.