Name: Spaghetti and Meatballs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: For the sauce: -; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil -; 1/2 chopped sweet yellow onion -; 3 cloves chopped garlic -; 1 cup very finely chopped carrots -; 1 cup chopped cremini brown mushrooms -; 2 (28-ounce) cans Italian plum tomatoes (San Marzano, if possible) -; 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley -; 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil -; 3 tablespoons tomato paste -; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan-Romano cheese blend -; Salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon) -; 1/4 cup red wine -; For the meatballs: -; 1 pound ground beef (at least 16% fat) -; 1/2 pound fresh bulk Italian style pork sausage -; 2 tablespoons finely chopped basil -; 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley -; 1/2 cup finely chopped cremini brown mushrooms -; 2 large eggs -; 3/4 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs -; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan-Romano cheese blend -; 2 teaspoons sea salt -; 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper -; 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil -; Red wine -; For the pasta: -; 1 1/2 pounds dry 100% semolina spaghetti, thin spaghetti, or bucatini -

Ingredients for - Spaghetti and Meatballs

1. For the sauce:

2. 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3. 1/2 chopped sweet yellow onion

4. 3 cloves chopped garlic

5. 1 cup very finely chopped carrots

6. 1 cup chopped cremini brown mushrooms

7. 2 (28-ounce) cans Italian plum tomatoes (San Marzano, if possible)

8. 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

9. 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

10. 3 tablespoons tomato paste

11. 1/4 cup grated Parmesan-Romano cheese blend

12. Salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon)

13. 1/4 cup red wine

14. For the meatballs:

15. 1 pound ground beef (at least 16% fat)

16. 1/2 pound fresh bulk Italian style pork sausage

17. 2 tablespoons finely chopped basil

18. 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley

19. 1/2 cup finely chopped cremini brown mushrooms

20. 2 large eggs

21. 3/4 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs

22. 1/4 cup grated Parmesan-Romano cheese blend

23. 2 teaspoons sea salt

24. 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper

25. 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

26. Red wine

27. For the pasta:

28. 1 1/2 pounds dry 100% semolina spaghetti, thin spaghetti, or bucatini

How to cook deliciously - Spaghetti and Meatballs

1 . Stage

Prepare the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a 4 to 5-quart pot on medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds longer or until fragrant. Add the carrots and mushrooms, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stir to blend, and cook for a minute longer. Add the canned tomatoes, parsley, and basil. Mash and stir the tomatoes with a potato masher until the sauce starts to thicken, about 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently while preparing meatballs, stirring occasionally.

2 . Stage

Form the meatballs: In a large bowl, use your hands to mix the beef, Italian sausage, basil, parsley, mushrooms, eggs, breadcrumbs, cheese, salt, and pepper. Do not over-mix or the meatballs will be tough. Use a small melon baller, cookie scoop, or heaping teaspoon to form 1-inch round meatballs. Roll and compress into tight balls, but don't overwork the mixture.

3 . Stage

Brown the meatballs: In a separate wide, shallow pan, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides, about 2 to 3 minutes. Depending on pan size you may need to brown 2 batches of the meatballs. Cook them in a single layer; do not crowd the pan by stacking them. Do not overcook the meatballs; they will continue to cook in the sauce. You just want to brown them on all sides. Towards the end of browning the meatballs, add a little bit of red wine to deglaze the pan.

4 . Stage

Finish and simmer the sauce: Add the red wine to the sauce and stir in the cheese. Add salt to taste. Add the browned meatballs and gently stir. Simmer the sauce and meatballs for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5 . Stage

Cook the spaghetti: While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot with 4 quarts of salted water to a boil (1 tablespoon of salt for every 2 quarts of water). When the water returns to a boil add the pasta to the pot. Leave the pot uncovered while you cook the pasta on high heat with a vigorous boil. Put a timer on for 8 to 10 minutes, or according to package directions for al dente pasta (cooked but still a little firm). Drain.

6 . Stage

Serve: To serve, place a thin layer of sauce on each plate, add the pasta, add sauce and meatballs, and then sprinkle with grated Parmesan-Romano cheese.