Spaghetti and Meatballs

Sorry for the lateness of this post (I made this Sunday night), Germ Fest 2013 seems to be going on in my house. So far, I remain unscathed.

Anyway, this recipe is from the Pioneer Woman. I just love her website. And her recipes. I have tried several versions of spaghetti and meatballs and this is my favorite. The meatballs get a 5 out of 5 thumbs up from my family, the sauce only gets 3.5 out of 5. However, one of my kids doesn't like sauce at all and another only likes it sometimes, depending on his mood. So they get pesto and meatballs instead of sauce.

I don't make many changes, except I use a full pound of both the sausage and hamburger. Just easier that way. Also, I use two cans of crushed tomatoes, my kids don't like chunks. Sometimes I use fresh herbs, sometimes I use dried. I have used both grated and shredded Parmesan cheese in the meatballs. Sometimes I make large meatballs (I use a 3 Tbsp size scoop) and other times I make small (1 Tbsp size scoop). With the large, I get about 18 meatballs. I have never counted when I make the small but I assume somewhere around 54. I have browned the meatballs the day before and I have also made this in the crockpot (just make sure you sautee the onions and garlic in the skillet first and brown the meatballs before adding them to the sauce.) and on the stove. As you can see, this recipe is pretty versatile if you have time constraints. It is a lot of work and I usually make my husband help me.

Here is the original recipe.

And here is my version:

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Meatballs:

• 1 pound Ground Beef
• 1 pound Ground Pork
• 3-4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• ¾ cups Fine Bread Crumbs
• 2 whole Eggs
• ¾ cups Freshly Grated Parmesan
• ¼ cups Flat-leaf Parsley, Minced
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• Splash Of Milk
• ½ cups Olive Oil

Sauce:

• 1 whole Yellow Onion, Diced
• 3-4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 whole 28 Ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
• ½ cups White Or Red Wine (optional)
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• ¼ cups Flat-leaf Parsley, Minced
• 8 whole Fresh Basil Leaves, Chiffonade (optional)
• 2 pounds Spaghetti, Cooked To Al Dente

 Instructions

 

To make the meatballs, combine meat, garlic, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, eggs, salt, pepper, parsley, and a splash of milk in a mixing bowl. Mix together well with hands. Using either a large or small size scoop, roll into balls and place on a cookie sheet.To brown the meatballs, heat olive oil in a heavy pot or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs 8 at a time, turning to brown. Remove and drain on a paper towel after each batch. Set meatballs aside.
In the same pot, add the onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes, or until translucent. Pour in whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and wine, if using. Add salt, pepper, sugar, and parsley. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.
Add meatballs to pot and stir in gently. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring very gently a couple of times during the simmer.
Just before serving, stir in basil if using.
Serve over cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan.


***I am not advertising for either Amazon or Pampered Chef. I was just sharing which scoops I use. Also, the small one is excellent for chocolate chip cookies, as well as peanut butter!