Tuna Meatballs

Yummy

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup  bread cubes (from stale baguette)
• 1⁄2 cup  whole milk
• 5  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2  garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 1⁄2 lbs tuna, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2  ounces pancetta, finely diced (1/4 cup)
• 1  large egg, lightly beaten
• 1  tablespoon  chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
•  sea salt
•  fresh ground black pepper
• 4  cups tomato sauce
• 1  lb spaghetti

Directions

1. Soak bread in milk in small bowl for 30 minutes. Place work bowl and blade of food processor in freezer.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in medium pan over medium heat. Add garlic and stir occasionally until translucent, about 3 minutes. Set pan aside to cool.
3. Squeeze bread to remove excess milk, put in chilled food processor bowl with tuna and pancetta. Pulse until just coarsely ground and combined. Refrigerate briefly. Add garlic and its oil, 2 tablespoons water, egg, parsley and red-pepper flakes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grindings of pepper. Lightly but thoroughly mix with hands.
4. Make a small meatball and sauté in a bit of oil over medium-high heat to taste for seasoning. Adjusting seasonings if necessary.
5. Heat sauce in a 6-quart pot over low heat.
6. With moistened hands, form 20 meatballs, each about 1 3/4 inch in diameter (about 1 1/2 ounces). Heat remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in pan on medium high until hot but not smoking. Cook meatballs in batches until well browned all around, 6 to 8 minutes. When done, transfer to sauce with slotted spoon. When all the meatballs are in sauce, partially cover pot and gently simmer for 1 hour, stirring carefully occasionally.
7. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti until almost al dente. Drain and serve in bowl with sauce and meatballs spooned over.