Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- ½ lb lean ground beef
- ¼ lb lean ground pork
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 1 ¼ oz breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoons cheddar cheese grated
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 10.5 oz pasta of choice
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- ¾ cups water
For garnish:
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a large bowl, mix the beef, pork, egg, breadcrumbs, parsley, oregano, cheese and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
- With wet hands form small meatballs, about 1.5 inches in diameter, you should get 14-16 meatballs.
- Place them in a dutch oven pan large enough to hold them all in one layer.
- Place the dutch oven in the heated oven and bake for 10 minutes while preparing the sauce
To make the tomato sauce:
- Heat some oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened. This will take about 8 minutes.
- Add garlic, tomato puree, tomatoes, thyme, chili flakes and water. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and let simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Pour the sauce over the meatballs. Cover the dish with foil and put it back in the oven for 30 minutes.
- While the sauce and meatballs are in the oven, cook the pasta in a sauté pan according to package directions, drain reserving some of the water.
- Return the pasta and the reserved water to the sauté pan. When the meatballs are cooked, add them and the sauce to the pasta and gently stir. Taste and season as necessary.
- Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with parsley and cheese and serve.
Notes
Cooking tips:
Wetting your hands before making the meatballs prevents the mixture from sticking to your hands. Place the balls into a refrigerator for 15 minutes so that the herbs can release their aroma and flavor. The meatballs can also be fried in a pan with a little oil. Varieties:
You can opt to use ground chicken or turkey instead of meat.
Wetting your hands before making the meatballs prevents the mixture from sticking to your hands. Place the balls into a refrigerator for 15 minutes so that the herbs can release their aroma and flavor. The meatballs can also be fried in a pan with a little oil. Varieties:
You can opt to use ground chicken or turkey instead of meat.
Nutrition
Calories: 620kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 35gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 175mgSodium: 402mgPotassium: 818mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 779IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 227mgIron: 6mg
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