I have always been someone who looks for more than what “meats” the eye.
I never ever realised how easy a recipe this Italian comfort food is, unless you are Italian and you know it’s not even Italian🤨.
If you do find Spaghetti and meatballs in Italy, it’s largely to satisfy the cravings of the typical American tourist. In Italy they are called “Polpettes” (which means big meatball) and eaten without Spaghetti. So apparently, the origin of spaghetti and meatballs started with Italian immigrants coming to America in 1880 to 1920.
I love making one dish meals and I love the fact that we bake the meat balls in this recipe. And the best part of it all is it’s super delish and super easy.
Happy baking ♥️!!!!
Ingredients:
Meatballs
Minced beef – 400g
Stale bread crumbs – 2/3 cup
Butter milk – 1/3 cup
Beaten egg yolk – 2
Grated onion – 1 small onion
Minced garlic – 2 tbsp
Grated Parmesan – 1/3 cup
Minced Parsley – 1/4 cup
Coarsely ground black pepper – 1 tsp
Salt – 2 tsp
Spaghetti
Spaghetti – 250g
Tomato purée – 2 1/2 cups
Minced garlic – 2 tbsp
Olive oil – 2 tbsp
Salt and Pepper – to taste
Minced parsley and grated Parmesan for garnish.
Method :
Heat a large pot filled with salted water for the spaghetti and cook spaghetti as per the packet instructions until just done. Drain and keep aside, reserving the water.
Preheat oven to 220 C.
Line a baking tray with aluminium foil and lightly spray it with cooking oil.
Put the breadcrumbs in a large bowl and pour the butter milk over it. Smoothen out lumps with a fork, if any. Add the egg yolk, grated onion, minced garlic, cheese, salt, pepper, mince beef and minced parsley to the bowl and mix until combined.
Form lime sized balls from the beef mixture( approx. 2 tbsps). Arrange onto the prepared baking tray.
Bake for 15 – 18 mins until done.
While the meatballs are being baked, take a wide pan and heat 2 tbsps olive oil over medium heat. Sauté 2tbsp garlic until it starts browning. Add the tomato purée, season with salt. If the purée is too thick add 1 – 2 cup (depending on how thick/thin the purée is and how much sauce you want ) reserved spaghetti water and let it simmer for about 3 minutes. Once the meat balls are ready, drop them gently into the sauce and spoon the sauce over the meat balls. Let it simmer for 5 mins. Switch off the heat and keep aside.
To assemble the spaghetti before serving, heat the spaghetti on medium heat in the large empty pot and spoon some sauce from the meatball mix into the spaghettti. Add 1/2 cup reserved spaghetti water to it. Turn heat to high and keep tossing the spaghetti. Add more reserved water, if needed to loosen the spaghetti.
Using tongs, transfer spaghetti into a large wide bowl. Spoon the meat balls and sauce over it.
Garnish with minced parsley and grated Parmesan cheese. Serve hot.
Add a pinch of love ♥️:
Use a mix of pork/ sausage/ beef mince instead of just beef mince. Adding Prosciutto gives extra meatiness. Add Worcestershire sauce for added flavour. Add Panko instead of stale bread crumbs keeps the meat more moist. Braising the meat balls longer in tomato juice and reducing it gives even more moist and juicy meatballs .
xoxo,
Sareeka ♥️
