Meals Matter

Meatballs & Spaghetti

Contributed By: zchance
Barefoot Contessa

The meatballs and sauce freeze beautifully and are nice to have on hand for emergency dinners. (Perhaps make 2x - 4x)

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

1/2 pound Ground veal

1/2 pound Ground pork

1 pound Ground beef

1 cup Fresh white breadcrumbs (made from 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

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon Good olive oil

1 cup Chopped yellow onion (1 onion)

1 1/2 teaspoons Minced garlic

1/2 cup Good red wine, such as Chianti

1 28-ounce Can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped

1 tablespoon Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper

For serving:

1 1/2 pounds Spaghetti, cooked according to package directions

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Put 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.

2. Pour equal amounts of vegetable 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. Don’t crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don’t clean the pan.

3. For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and sauté 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, scraping 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.

4. 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 grated Parmesan cheese.

Cook's Notes

The calories are for the entire dish, it's about 575 calories per serving.

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Recipe Details

Total Preparation Time: 15 to 30 minutes
Ingredients: Beef
Pork
Rice, Pasta & Bread
Egg & Cheese
Sauces
Actual Cooking Time: 1 hour
Number of Servings: 6
Origin: Italian
Special Features: Make Ahead
Meal Type: Entree

Nutrient Information

Calories: 3450