Real meatballs and spaghetti

1

Ingredients

  • For the meatballs:

  • 225g minced veal
  • 225g minced pork
  • 450g minced beef
  • 60g fresh white breadcrumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)
  • 40g seasoned dried breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 45g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • Vegetable oil
  • Olive oil

  • For the sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon good-quality olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
  • 120ml good red wine, such as Chianti
  • 2 (400g) tins chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • For the spaghetti:

  • 675g spaghetti
  • Salt
  • Freshly grated Parmesan

Use imperial measurements

Method

How to make Real meatballs and spaghetti

For the meatballs:
1) Place the minced meats, breadcrumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg and 180ml of warm water in a bowl and combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 4cm meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.

2) Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large frying pan to a depth of 1cm and heat. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the hot oil and brown them well on all sides over a medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork, about 10 minutes for each batch. Don't crowd the meatballs. Remove cooked meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don't clean the pan.

For the spaghetti sauce:
1) Heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

2) Add the wine and cook on a high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt and pepper.

3) Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through.

For the spaghetti:
1) Cook the spaghetti in boiling, salted water according to the package instructions.

2) Serve the meatballs hot on the cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan for garnish.

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