Meatballs and spaghetti was the only pasta menu at a restaurant when I was kid. Or probably, I've never been to a real Italian restaurant until much later, where I couldn't find meatball & spaghetti on the menu any more. :(
I don't think meatballs and spaghetti is an authentic Italian dish. The only Italian meatballs I know are the tiny meatballs in Italian Wedding soup. I read somewhere that meatball spaghetti is a creation of Italian immigrants in the States, to adjust the old world Italian taste to a new world one.
Whether Italian or not, meatballs are always right, ideally with homemade tomato sauce. This is a comfort food for me. I love this pasta, I guess, because of the nostalgia for the past. :) I like to use both beef and pork to make my meatballs , and also meatloaf as the blending of pork and beef gives a great flavour.
If you have tomato sauce ready, you can make this hearty comfort dinner in a half hour. It's actually very simple to make.
Here goes the recipe:
Ingredients
(4 servings)
for spaghetti & meatballs
8 oz(228g) spaghetti
3 cups tomato sauce (see the easy tomato recipe here)
1/2 onion, diced
Olive oil
for Meatballs
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons parsley
1/2 lbs ground beef
1/2 lbs ground pork or 2 pork sausages
1 egg
1 + 1/2 garlic powder
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Salt
Pepper
Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork(or sausage),bread crumbs, parsley, egg, garlic powder, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
2. Mix all the above ingredients well and roll into about 24 small meatballs.
3. In a pasta pan, heat olive oil and saute diced onion over medium heat.
4. Add meatballs and cook for 5-6 minutes.
5. Add tomato sauce and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti al dente. Spaghetti al dente is usually ready in 7 minutes. (cooking time varies depending on brands)
7. When both spaghetti and sauce is ready, pour the sauce over the spaghetti and serve!
It's so easy, isn't it? :)
Enjoy!
Meatballs and Spaghetti
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