Spaghetti and Meatballs

Name: Spaghetti and Meatballs
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients: 1 loaf fresh ciabatta, crusts removed, whirred in a blender or food processor to make crumbs (about 2 cups); 1/3 cup heavy cream; 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves, chopped; ¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 2 teaspoons salt; ½ cup minced bacon about 3 slices; ½ pound ground pork shoulder; ½ pound ground veal; ½ pound ground beef chuck; 2 tablespoons butter; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 pound spaghetti; 2 cups marinara sauce; Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Recipe from Jonathan Waxman

Adapted by Pete Wells

Spaghetti and Meatballs — Jens Mortensen for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Molly Rundberg.

Total Time: About 1 hour
Rating: 4(381)
Comments: Read comments

There’s little more comforting on a weeknight — or any night — than spaghetti, tossed in marinara sauce and paired with savory meatballs. This hearty recipe features three kinds of meat — ground pork shoulder, veal and beef chuck, along with minced bacon — rolled into small balls, which are then browned in a sauté pan, and baked until cooked through. Serve the whole thing with a bowl of grated Parmesan, ready to be heaped on. —Pete Wells

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves 6

1loaf fresh ciabatta, crusts removed, whirred in a blender or food processor to make crumbs (about 2 cups)
⅓cup heavy cream
1teaspoon fresh oregano leaves, chopped
¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1teaspoon black pepper
2teaspoons salt
½ cup minced bacon about 3 slices
½ pound ground pork shoulder
½ pound ground veal
½ pound ground beef chuck
2tablespoons butter
2tablespoons olive oil
1pound spaghetti
2cups marinara sauce
Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs and cream. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then mash the mixture with a fork. Mix in the oregano, pepper flakes, black pepper, salt and bacon. Gently work in the pork, veal and beef. Be careful not to knead it into oblivion, or the meatballs will be tough little pebbles. Fry a little of the mixture in some butter and oil in a skillet and taste, adjusting seasonings. Roll into small meatballs, about an inch across. (If you have a kitchen scale, measure an ounce apiece.)
Step 2
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large sauté pan, warm the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs, turning every couple of minutes. (Work in batches if they won’t all fit in the pan.) Transfer them to a roasting pan big enough to hold them all. Pour 2 cups of cold water into the pan and transfer it to the oven to bake for 20 to 30 minutes or so, until the meatballs are cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Step 3
Boil the spaghetti in a large pot of salted water, and heat the marinara sauce in a pot. When the spaghetti is tender, toss it with the sauce. Season to taste. Put the cheese in a bowl and set it on the table. Make sure to ask your family if they want their meatballs on top of the spaghetti or on the side.

Ratings

4 out of 5

381 user ratings

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Comments

Jessica7 years ago

Meatballs can also be simmered unbrowned in the sauce until cooked, which preserves their moistness and adds flavor both to sauce and meat. Saves time and fuss, too.

Lisa7 years ago

Kiom has made assumptions about cooking meat that are not supported. Many reputable sources exist to help us cook food safely, such as www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/index.html and www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answe.... Cooking meat in sauce or other liquids is delicious and has has been done safely for many years. Imagine cooking a holiday brisket without sauce...

BLH7 years ago

@Kiom
Meatballs can absolutely be cooked in the sauce as per Jessica. Comment to Jessica seems to imply " raw meat" should not be cooked in sauce for safety reasons. When making a meat sauce, the meat used is not completely cooked before putting into sauce - it is cooked in the sauce.

Tom7 months ago

Way too much bread crumbs and cream. I wish I could find a real and simple meatball recipe like you find in old fashion Italian restaurants. Alas.

Sam2 years ago

This recipe is bizarre. The idea of pouring two cups of water in with the meatballs seemed odd to me, but I thought maybe something magical would happen. Instead, what happened was exactly what you would expect: the previously browned and intact meatballs turned to absolute and unsalvageable mush. Says my daughter: “It was the worst!”

Kathy T3 years ago

I always add ricotta to the meatball mixture. Really helps with moistness and makes meatballs less heavy. Instead of bacon in the mixture I microwave a small bowl of bacon fat and roll each meatball in it (then shake off excess) before oven roasting at 375 for 15-20 mins. The bacon fat might sound too rich or disgusting to some, but it adds flavour and a bit of a crust to the meatballs.

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