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Columbus Day Special: Spaghetti and Meatballs

Bring something special to the table with this well-loved recipe.

Total Time
45 mins
Course: Main Course , Soup
Cuisine: Italian-American Fussion

Ingredients

  • 500 g 1 lb spaghetti
For the meatballs:
  • 500 g 1 lb ground beef (or a mixture of ground beef, pork and/or veal)
  • 75 g 2 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1-2 eggs
  • 1 large slice of stale Italian bread crust removed and soaked in milk, crumbled
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic finely minced
  • A few sprigs of parsley finely minced
  • salt and pepper
  • Olive oil or lard for frying
For the tomato sauce:
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic finely chopped
  • 1 large can of peeled tomatoes run through a food mill, or a large jar of passata di pomodoro
  • salt and pepper
  • A tiny pinch of oregano optional
For topping:
  • freshly grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large mixing bowl, mix together all the meatball ingredients together into a smooth paste. (Your bare hands are the best tools for this job.) To eliminate any air holes in the mixture, smack it down into the bowl with some force, repeating a few times. Take a piece of the mixture, about the size of a walnut, and form it into a smooth ball by rolling it between the palms of your hands in a circular motion.
  2. Fry the meatballs in the olive oil (or, for extra savor in the Neapolitan style, lard) until they are nice and brown on all sides.
  3. Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté over gentle heat for a few minutes, until the onions are soft. Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, until the tomato and fat begin to separate.
  4. Cook the spaghetti al dente and drain well. Dress lightly with the tomato sauce. Plate the spaghetti and top with some more sauce and 2-3 meatballs. Top with freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino romano cheese, if you like, and enjoy!