In the realm of culinary delights, few dishes evoke a sense of comfort and nostalgia like the classic spaghetti and meatballs. Originating from the vibrant streets of Italy, this iconic dish has captured the hearts and taste buds of people worldwide. With its symphony of flavors, textures, and aromas, spaghetti and meatballs is a true testament to the culinary artistry of Italian cuisine.
This comprehensive guide will take you on a culinary journey through the intricacies of preparing this timeless dish. From the selection of the finest ingredients to the step-by-step instructions for crafting the perfect meatballs and simmering the rich tomato sauce, you'll discover the secrets to creating an unforgettable spaghetti and meatballs experience. In addition to the classic recipe, we'll also explore variations that cater to different dietary preferences and tastes. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a home cook seeking to elevate your culinary skills, this guide has something for everyone. So, prepare your taste buds for a delectable adventure as we delve into the world of spaghetti and meatballs.
CLASSIC SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS FOR A CROWD
Steps:
- 1. FOR THE MEATBALLS: Place wire racks in 2 foil-lined rimmed baking sheets. Adjust oven racks to lower-middle and upper-middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine bread crumbs and buttermilk in large bowl and let sit, mashing occasionally with fork, until smooth paste forms, about 10 minutes. 2.Add eggs, beef, pork, prosciutto, Parmesan, parsley, garlic, gelatin mixture, 11/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to bread-crumb mixture. Using hands, gently mix until thoroughly combined. Lightly form about ¼ cup mixture into 2-inch round meatball (about 2 ounces); repeat with remaining mixture to form approximately 40 meatballs. 3. Spray wire racks with nonstick cooking spray and place meatballs, evenly spaced, on racks; roast until browned, about 30 minutes, rotating trays from front to back and top to bottom halfway through. 4. FOR THE SAUCE: While meatballs roast, heat olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden around edges, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato juice, crushed tomatoes, wine, 1½ teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. 5. Remove meatballs from oven and lower oven temperature to 300 degrees. Gently add meatballs to sauce, cover pot, and place in oven. Cook until meatballs are firm and sauce has thickened, about 1 hour. 6. Meanwhile, bring 10 quarts water to boil in 12-quart pot. Add pasta and 2 tablespoons salt to boiling water; cook until al dente. Drain pasta and return it to cooking pot. 7. TO SERVE: Stir basil and parsley into sauce and adjust seasoning with sugar, salt, and pepper. Toss pasta with 1½ cups sauce until lightly coated. Serve pasta, passing meatballs, remaining sauce.
CLASSIC SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS FOR A CROWD COOK'S ILLUSTRATED. SERVES 12. RECIPE
Provided by á-248
Number Of Ingredients 27
Steps:
- 1. FOR THE MEATBALLS: Place wire racks in 2 foil-lined rimmed baking sheets. Adjust oven racks to lower-middle and upper-middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine bread crumbs and buttermilk in large bowl and let sit, mashing occasionally with fork, until smooth paste forms, about 10 minutes. 2. Add eggs, beef, pork, prosciutto, Parmesan, parsley, garlic, gelatin mixture, 11/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to bread-crumb mixture. Using hands, gently mix until thoroughly combined. Lightly form about ¼ cup mixture into 2-inch round meatball (about 2 ounces); repeat with remaining mixture to form approximately 40 meatballs. 3. Spray wire racks with nonstick cooking spray and place meatballs, evenly spaced, on racks; roast until browned, about 30 minutes, rotating trays from front to back and top to bottom halfway through. 4. FOR THE SAUCE: While meatballs roast, heat olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden around edges, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato juice, crushed tomatoes, wine, 1½ teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. 5. Remove meatballs from oven and lower oven temperature to 300 degrees. Gently add meatballs to sauce, cover pot, and place in oven. Cook until meatballs are firm and sauce has thickened, about 1 hour. 6. Meanwhile, bring 10 quarts water to boil in 12-quart pot. Add pasta and 2 tablespoons salt to boiling water; cook until al dente. Drain pasta and return it to cooking pot. 7. TO SERVE: Stir basil and parsley into sauce and adjust seasoning with sugar, salt, and pepper. Toss pasta with 1½ cups sauce until lightly coated. Serve pasta, passing meatballs, remaining sauce, and grated Parmesan separately.
CLASSIC SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS
Saying these are better than our nonna's would be a bad idea, but she'll never know if we just think it.
Provided by Chris Morocco
Categories Bon Appétit Dinner Pasta Meatball Tomato Ground Beef Parmesan Kid-Friendly Oregano Small Plates
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 26
Steps:
- Tomato Sauce:
- Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-low. Cook garlic, stirring occasionally, until a few pieces are golden brown around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add basil sprigs and stir to wilt. Add tomatoes, crushing with your hands as you go, and their juices; season with salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high; bring mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to maintain a very gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened and flavors have concentrated, 60-75 minutes.
- Meatballs and assembly:
- Run bread under cold running water until completely soaked. Firmly wring out to expel as much water as possible. Finely chop, then mix in a large bowl with eggs, garlic, ricotta, prosciutto, parsley, and 1/3 cup Parmesan.
- Finely grind fennel seeds in spice mill or with mortar and pestle; add to bread mixture along with oregano, nutmeg, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and 1 1/4 tsp. salt. Mix well (it should resemble a coarse, wet paste). Add beef and break up into small pieces (a couple of forks work well). Mix gently with your hands until smooth and ingredients are evenly incorporated; be careful not to overmix.
- Lightly oil your hands. Working one at a time, scoop out portions of meat mixture with a 1/4-cup measuring cup; roll gently between your hands into balls. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet.
- This is the point where you should get the sauce reheating, if needed, so it's warm by the time you add the meatballs.
- Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium. Add half of the meatballs and cook, turning and rolling occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Add meatballs to warm sauce. Repeat with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil and remaining meatballs.
- Cook meatballs in sauce (they should be mostly submerged) at a gentle simmer, carefully scraping bottom of pot and adding a splash of water if sauce begins to stick, until meatballs are cooked through and tender and sauce tastes rich and meaty, 40-50 minutes.
- Transfer meatballs to a clean baking sheet; cover with foil to keep warm. Pluck out and discard basil from sauce. Use a potato masher or immersion blender to break up any large pieces of tomato and smooth out sauce. Transfer 2 cups sauce to a small bowl; set aside for serving.
- Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Using tongs, transfer to pot with sauce. Gently stir, adding pasta cooking liquid by the tablespoonful as needed, until sauce coats pasta. Transfer spaghetti to a serving dish and top with meatballs and 1 cup reserved sauce. Sprinkle with more Parmesan and serve with some basil (if using) and remaining sauce alongside for topping.
- Do Ahead:
- Sauce can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Meatballs can be formed 1 day ahead; cover and chill. Meatballs can be cooked in sauce 3 days ahead; let cool, then cover and chill.
CLASSIC SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS
Steps:
- INSTRUCTIONS 1. For the meatballs: Combine bread and buttermilk in small bowl, mashing occasionally with fork, until smooth paste forms, about 10 minutes. 2. Mix all meatball ingredients, including bread mixture and pepper to taste in medium bowl. Lightly form 3 tablespoons of mixture into 1 1/2-inch round meatballs; repeat with remaining mixture to form approximately 14 meatballs. (Compacting them can make the meatballs dense and hard. Can be placed on large plate, covered loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerated for several hours.) 3. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large pot for cooking pasta. 4. Meanwhile, heat 1/4 -inch vegetable oil over medium-high heat in 10- or 11-inch sauté pan. When edge of meatball dipped in oil sizzles, add meatballs in single layer. Fry, turning several times, until nicely browned on all sides, about 10 minutes, regulating heat as needed to keep oil sizzling but not smoking. Transfer browned meatballs to paper towel--lined plate; set aside. Repeat, if necessary, with remaining meatballs. 5. For the sauce, discard oil in pan, leaving behind any browned bits. Add olive oil along with garlic; sauté, scraping up any browned bits, just until garlic is golden, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, bring to boil, and simmer gently until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Stir in basil; add salt and pepper to taste. Add meatballs and simmer, turning them occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Keep warm over low flame. 6. Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to boiling water. Cook until al dente, drain, and return to pot. Ladle several large spoonfuls of tomato sauce (without meatballs) over spaghetti and toss until noodles are well coated. Divide pasta among individual bowls and top each with a little more tomato sauce and 2 to 3 meatballs. Serve immediately with grated cheese passed separately.
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients. The better the ingredients, the better the meatballs and spaghetti will taste. Look for fresh, lean ground beef, ripe tomatoes, and high-quality Parmesan cheese.
- Season the meatballs well. Don't be afraid to add plenty of herbs and spices to the meatballs. This will give them a delicious flavor that will stand up to the sauce.
- Cook the meatballs thoroughly. Make sure the meatballs are cooked all the way through before adding them to the sauce. This will help prevent them from falling apart.
- Use a good quality tomato sauce. You can either make your own tomato sauce or use a store-bought sauce. If you're using a store-bought sauce, be sure to choose one that is made with fresh tomatoes and has a good flavor.
- Cook the spaghetti al dente. This means that the spaghetti should be cooked until it is tender but still has a slight bite to it. This will help prevent the spaghetti from becoming mushy.
- Garnish with fresh herbs. Just before serving, garnish the spaghetti and meatballs with fresh herbs such as basil or parsley. This will add a pop of color and flavor to the dish.
Conclusion:
This classic spaghetti and meatballs recipe is a delicious and hearty meal that is perfect for a family dinner or a special occasion. By following the tips above, you can make sure that your spaghetti and meatballs turn out perfectly every time. So next time you're looking for a comforting and delicious meal, give this recipe a try!
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