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ground pork ground beef sirloin salt Bread milk nutmeg egg yolk generous handful garlic mortadella pecorino extra-virgin olive oil fennel red chile pepper onion fresh marjoram tomato paste white wine chicken tomatoes fresh basil butter
Viewed: 4 - Published at: 3 years agoIngredients
- 12 ounces pound ground pork
- 12 ounces ground beef sirloin
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 slices good quality bread such as pane bello or white country boule, crusts trimmed
- 1 cup milk
- Freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 large or extra-large egg yolk, beaten
- A generous handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, 2 finely chopped, 4 thinly sliced
- 4 ounces mortadella or prosciutto cotto, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup grated pecorino, a couple of handfuls plus a hunk to grate at the table
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for liberal drizzling plus 3 tablespoons
- 1 tablespoon fennel seed, a scant palmful
- 1 red chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- Sprig fresh marjoram, finely chopped and/or 1 teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup chicken stock-in-a-box
- 1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 pound good quality spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons butter
Method
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Add the pork and beef to a bowl and season liberally with salt and pepper.
- Trim the crust of bread and chop into fresh breadcrumbs in a food processor, scrape into a small bowl and soak in milk.
- Return the processor to the base.
- Squeeze out some of the liquid from the bread and add the moistened bread to the meat, season with a little freshly grated nutmeg, a few grates.
- Add a beaten egg yolk and half of the chopped parsley to the bowl, a couple of tablespoons.
- Add 2 cloves finely chopped garlic to the meat.
- Add the mortadella to the food processor and pulse to very finely chop the meat, add to the ground meats along with a couple of handfuls of grated pecorino.
- Drizzle the meat liberally with extra-virgin olive oil.
- Place a baking rack over a baking sheet or cover a baking sheet with parchment baking paper.
- Mix the meatballs and roll into large walnut-size balls and roast 12 to 15 minutes to light brown, but not cooked through.
- Meanwhile, heat extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pot, over medium to medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven.
- To the warm oil, add fennel seeds, chile pepper, onions, and sliced garlic, season with salt and pepper, and marjoram.
- Stir 4 to 5 minutes then add tomato paste and stir 30 seconds, pour in wine and stir a minute, then add stock and tomatoes.
- Break up the tomatoes into small bits and when sauce comes to a boil reduce heat to simmer, add a few leaves of torn basil, reserving a few for garnish.
- Add the remaining chopped parsley and gently slide in the meatballs.
- Simmer the mixture 15 to 20 minutes to combine flavors and finish cooking the meat through.
- Cook's Note: Cook the pasta at this time or if this is a make-ahead meal cool completely, cover and store.
- Reheat the sauce over medium heat covered until it bubbles then uncovered at gentle simmer while pasta cooks.
- Cook the pasta in large pot of boiling, salted water to al dente.
- Save about 1/2 cup starchy cooking liquid just before draining.
- Add the drained pasta back to the hot pot with butter, a few ladles of sauce and the reserved starchy liquid.
- Toss to combine and melt butter.
- Serve in bowls with lots of sauce and meatballs on top, lots of shaved cheese and a few leaves of torn basil.
- Serve with simple tossed greens salad if you like but it'll probably get ignored...it is spaghetti and meatballs night!
