Recipe
Spaghetti And Meatballs
This is a classic Italian American dish that is great any night of the week. These meatballs are extremely tender and will fall apart if you stir them too much when cooking. Just let them simmer slowly in the pot and they will be perfect.
Ingredients
- 3 slices thick cut bacon
- 1 cup diced onions
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatooes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 slices white bread
- 4 ounces evaporated milk
- 12 ounces ground chuck
- 8 ounces ground pork sausage
- 2 tablespoons red wine
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup minced green onions, white parts only
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Emeril's Original Essence
- 1 pound spaghetti, cooked, drained and tossed with olive oil
Directions
- Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the bacon is crisp remove it from the pan to a paper towel lined plate and set aside. Add the onions and cook until softened and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook until it begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes. Season the sauce with the basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
- In a small bowl soak the bread in the evaporated milk. Once all of the milk has been absorbed, use a fork to mash the bread into a paste. Place the bread and the remaining ingredients, except spaghetti, in a large mixing bowl. Mix together just until combined. Form meatballs by rolling meat mixture into 2 tablespoon-sized balls. Place meatballs on a plate as they are formed. (Hint: If your hands are slightly damp, the meatballs will roll more easily without sticking.)
- Place the balls into the simmering sauce 1 at a time. Allow the sauce to return to a simmer, and cook, partially covered. Let the meatballs to rest undisturbed for 25 minutes before stirring. When the meatballs rise to the top, stir gently. Simmer, partially covered, for an additional hour, stirring occasionally to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Remove the sauce from the heat and serve immediately over cooked spaghetti.
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