Spaghetti and Meatballs

I wasn't planning on posting this. It was just something I had made for dinner...and LOVED and couldn't help but share it. This photo is actually left overs the next day, which by the way are just as delicious, if not better. I've made a few different meatball recipes before but nothing that amazed me. And now I don't know if i'll ever make another meatball recipe since this one is just what I was looking for. The sauce was also really good. It had a little spice (but wasn't spicy) and great flavor. I've never been a fan of jarred pasta sauce; I think it's for the most part bland and i'd rather not eat it. The sauce to noodle ratio in this recipe is really low so if you like your pasta saucey I would suggest either doubling the sauce recipe or not making as many noodles. Another thing is, the recipe says "serves 6." That's an understatement. I made the whole recipe but only cooked half, I froze the other half of the meatballs and sauce to make another night since there's only 2 of us. I had a total of 21 meatballs. Of course how many you have will depend on how big you make yours, but either way it was a lot. We each ate this for 3 meals over a couple days and that's only half of the recipe. So I would say it serves closer to 12. I would still make the whole batch next time though because it's nice to know I have more waiting in the freezer for next time.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Buns In My Oven

For the meatballs:

1 pound ground pork

1 pound ground beef

1 1/4 cups bread crumbs

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon onion powder

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 cup warm water

Vegetable oil

Olive oil

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

pinch of sugar

1/2 cup red wine

1 14 ounce can tomato puree

1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For serving:

1 1/2 pounds spaghetti noodles

Freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:

To make the meatballs, place the ground meats, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, onion powder, egg, and 1/2 cup warm water in a large bowl. Mix lightly with a fork. Use your hands to lightly form the meatballs. Place meatballs in the refrigerator for at least one hour to rest. Remove from fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking to allow them to reach room temperature.

To cook the meatballs, pour equal parts olive oil and vegetable oil in a deep frying pan to a depth of 1/4 inch. Brown the meatballs in batches, turning carefully with a fork or spatula to brown all sides. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain. When all of the meatballs are browned, discard the oil but do not clean the pan.

To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Saute the onions until translucent and soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute more. Turn the heat to high and add the wine, using it to deglaze the pan. Continue cooking the wine on high heat for 3 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the tomato puree, diced tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper, and parsley. Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve over hot, cooked spaghetti and sprinkle with Parmesan. Serves 10-12