Spaghetti and Meatballs

Submitted by ratherbeswimmin

"An Italian-American creation that is a classic."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 15mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 1 large egg
• 1⁄3 cup milk
• 1 1⁄2 cups soft bread cubes (torn or cut from plain slices of white bread with crust)
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1⁄2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese, plus extra for serving
• 1 teaspoon very finely minced garlic
• 1⁄4 cup very finely minced parsley
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 6 cups tomato sauce, warmed (Longer-Cooked, Very Garlicky Marinara Sauce)
• 1 lb spaghetti
• 2 tablespoons butter

directions

1. In a large bowl, beat the egg; then blend in the milk.
2. Add in the bread cubes, stirring to coat them well; let sit for 15 minutes.
3. Using a fork, mash the bread cubes until they’ve formed a rough paste.
4. Add in the ground beef to the bowl; working with your hands, incorporate the rough paste into the beef.
5. Add in cheese, garlic, and parsley; blend in evenly; add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Using wet hands, form the meat into balls the size of golf balls or a little smaller.
7. Add olive oil to a large heavy skillet over med-high heat; add in the meatballs to brown them on all sides—don’t crowd them in the pan; you may have brown them in batches.
8. Transfer meatballs to the saucepan that holds the warmed tomato sauce; bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 45 minutes.
9. When the meatballs are nearly done, drop the spaghetti into a big pot of boiling salted water.
10. Cook spaghetti until al dente, about 8-9 minutes.
11. Drain spaghetti in a colander; then return it to the pasta cooking pot over medium heat.
12. Ladle in enough sauce to just coat the pasta; stir well.
13. Add in the butter and stir well.
14. Keep the pasta in the pot for a total of about 1 minute.
15. Divide the pasta among six wide, shallow bowls; top each mound of pasta with a few meatballs, then ladle some more sauce over all.
16. Serve with grated Romano cheese on the side.