Saturday, January 25, 2014

♥ Spaghetti and Meatballs
























Sometimes I just get a craving for good old fashioned spaghetti and meatballs with a nice tossed salad and some warm, fresh out of the oven, garlic bread. I have made my own sauce for years and it takes a little time and work. But when I don't have that extra time, I go to what I feel is the next best sauce to my homemade ...now don't get all persnickety on me...but I love Ragu Chunky Tomato Garlic and Onion Sauce in a jar. I love the texture and flavor in that sauce and have been using it more and more often. It has all natural ingredients and mostly the same ingredients that I use in mine. Try it and see for yourself.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
5 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
1 28 ounce can tomato sauce + 1 ½ cans water
2 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Heat a large stock pot over medium heat and add olive oil. Add onions, oregano, thyme, and basil. and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic, cook for one minute. Add tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add canned tomatoes, water, sugar, salt, and pepper. Turn the heat down to low and allow to simmer. Stir every 10-15 minutes for an hour. Allow sauce to continue simmer over low heat while you prepare the meatballs.

Meatballs:

1/2 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup ground veal (optional)
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)
1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons of your tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 extra-large egg, beaten
2 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil

Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and egg in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs or smaller if you like bite size as shown in photo.  Melt butter and then add olive oil to large 12 inch skillet. 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 you make. Don't crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels.  Add 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.


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