I often find happiness and contentment in a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs.
It’s one of my favorite foods – the blend of tomatoes, cheese and meat, the aroma of it while it cooks is intoxicating for me.
Crusty garlic bread on the side completes the meal..a glass of red wine would have been an ideal ending, I imagine but I cannot drink wine, too bad. 🙁
While it’s not exactly quick to make, if you plan ahead you’ll find that’s it’s very quick and easy to put this meal together.
The meatballs and spaghetti sauce can be made in advance and just reheat them while you cook the pasta.
I always find myself enjoying the process of making this..all from scratch ’cause nothing beats home made when it comes to food that soothes..
To make the sauce, saute garlic, onion in a pan, add tomato paste
add water and let simmer until you see oil starts to come out..that’s gonna be delicious for sure
add grated cheese and cooked meatballs and simmer for about 10 minutes; take meatballs out and..
add cooked spaghetti into the pan, mix well
plate spaghetti, top with meatballs and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese..
simply delicious
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
FOR THE MEATBALLS:
- 1 lb Lean Ground Pork
- 1 pc Onion large size / minced
- 2 slices Sliced Bread soaked in ¼ cup of fresh milk
- 4 cloves Garlic or 2 teaspoon of granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce for taste
- 1 teaspoon Salt for taste
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- 1 teaspoon Ground Dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Ground Dried Basil
- 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper to taste
- ¼ cup Fresh Parsley finely chopped or thinly sliced
- 2 pcs Eggs slightly beaten
FOR THE SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALL SAUCE:
- 12 oz Spaghetti Noodles
- 1 pc Onion medium sized / minced
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 150 grams Tomato Paste
- 1 ½ cups Water
- Dried Basil ground
- Dried Oregano ground
- Salt to taste
- Black Pepper ground / to taste
- 1 pc Bay Leaf
- ½ cup Cheddar Cheese grated
Instructions
FOR THE MEATBALLS:
- Put all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
- Cover and put in the freezer for about 10 minutes before shaping into balls for easier handling.
- Wet your hands and get a portion of ground meat mixture and form it into balls (big or small, you decide)
FOR THE SAUCE:
- Heat a deep pan over medium-high heat.
- Add about a tablespoon of olive oil.
- When oil gets hot, add garlic, onion and saute/cook until soft and fragrant.
- Add tomato paste and water, mix well.
- Add oregano, basil, bay leaf and season with salt and pepper.
- Cover pan and let sauce simmer until thickened or when oil starts to surface.
- Add grated cheese and simmer some more before adding cooked meatballs.
- Heat another pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add about 2 tablespoons olive oil and fry meatballs, turning and keeping an eye on it until all sides are browned.
- Add cooked meatballs to the simmering spaghetti sauce.
- Cook for 5-10 minutes more.
- Meanwhile, put water in a large saucepan, bring to a boil and add salt.
- Add spaghetti noodles and cook al dente (get a piece of spaghetti, bite it, it should have a tiny white dot in the middle remaining), it takes about 9 minutes more or less depending on the brand you’re using.
- Spoon meatballs out from the sauce and set aside.
- Add cooked spaghetti to the sauce and mix well to evenly coat the pasta with the sauce.
- Add pasta water if it’s too dry.
- Plate spaghetti, top with meatballs and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.
- Serve with crusty garlic bread.
- Enjoy! 🙂
