Italian American Style Spaghetti & Meatballs
I haven't made the "Sunday Gravy," in a while. Mostly because there are so many other things I would rather try than to make it a point to eat the same exact thing every single week on the same day, but if it's your tradition then mazeltov. It's delicious but I prefer a fresh and much simpler pasta sauce. This is still good, and really hits the spot when I'm in the mood for good old fashioned 'Spaghetti and Meatballs,' and that mood is usually brought on by watching Lady & the Tramp or just when Sean asks me for it. I also love it because it's great as leftovers or you can freeze what you don't use and turn it into a myriad of other things like pizza, bolognese, etc.
The fresher the whole ingredients, the more genuine the taste and since I'm really all about using tomatoes when they're in season, I'm sure to buy San Marzano canned tomatoes in the winter months for this one and to use only the best quality olive oil that I can afford over the finished dish. If you like your tomato sauce smooth, feel free to puree the sauce before adding the meat in to simmer.
To make sure your meatballs are seasoned correctly, heat a small frying pan over a high heat and drop about a teaspoons worth of the mixture in the hot pan, cooking quickly. Taste the cooked bits for seasoning, adjust as needed and repeat until you have the result you want.
Italian American Style Spaghetti & Meatballs
( Serves 4-6 )
1 lb. Spaghetti, cooked to al dente, drained and rinsed
Extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. sweet or hot italian sausage (about 6-8 links)
1 medium yellow onion, minced
5 cloves garlic, pressed
2, 28 oz. cans San Marzano style crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
6 oz. organic tomato paste
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tbsp white granulated sugar (or more to taste)
4-5 dashes tabasco sauce
14 cup chopped flat leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt & freshly cracked black pepper
Pecorino Romano, grated for garnish
Meatballs:
( makes about 12-15 meatballs )
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground pork
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 cup minced onion, sauteed lightly until translucent and soft
1/4 cup ground almonds
1 tsp toasted fennel seeds
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Kosher salt & freshly cracked black pepper
1. Set heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium/high heat. Add approx 2-3 tbsp olive oil to the bottom and heat until glistening. Add italian sausage links and brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
2. Turn heat down to medium/low and add onions. Sweat onions until fragrant, soft and translucent, approx 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant but not brown, approx 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Add 2 cans crushed tomatoes, water and tomato paste. Stir well to combine and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. Add garlic powder, onion powder, fresh herbs, red pepper flakes, sugar, tabasco, salt and pepper. Simmer 20 more minutes, stirring frequently. Taste and adjust sugar and seasoning as needed. Add browned sausage back into the sauce, cover and simmer on low, approx 1 hour.
4. Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
5. In a large bowl combine all meatball ingredients and "mush" together with hands, gently until mixture comes together and sticks. If you find your mixture isn't keeping the ball shape, beat another egg and add in 1 tbsp at a time until the mixture takes the shape you need.
6. Roll meatballs, using approx 1.5 tablespoons mixture for each and place about 1-2 inches apart on sheet tray. Continue until all mixture is used. Bake at for 20-25 minutes until meatballs are slightly browned on the outside and cooked through on the inside.
7. Add to the sauce and stir carefully, making sure not to break the meatballs. Keep sauce on low until you're ready to eat.
8. Serve over spaghetti and garnish with picked parsley leaves, cracked black pepper, good olive oil and freshly grated pecorino romano cheese.
