Homemade SpaghettiOs With Meatballs
Well, I've recreated my version of Homemade SpaghettiOs with Meatballs for you, and it's super easy to make.
Equipment
- 2 baking sheet pans Lined with parchment paper
- 2 saucepots 6-quart
- 1 cookie-dough scoop
- 1 pasta spoon strainer
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
Ingredients For Meatballs: Yields 48 small meatballs
- 2 pounds ground pork Substitute ground beef, chicken, or turkey
- 2 extra-large eggs Room temperature
- 1/4 cup half-and-half Room temperature
- 1/4 cup water Room temperature
- 1/4 cup ricotta cheese Room temperature
- 1/4 cup fresh store-bought basil pesto
- 3 cloves garlic Freshly-grated
- 5 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsps ketchup
- 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Freshly-ground
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley Finely chopped
- 1-1 1/2 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper Freshly-ground
Ingredients for the Tomato Sauce:
- 1 28-ounce can San Marzano crushed tomatoes
- 1 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 large onion Diced
- 2 cloves garlic Minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup chicken stock Unsalted
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper Freshly-ground
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes Optional
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 3 tbsps fresh basil leaves Plus extra for garnish
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Freshly-ground for the cooked pasta
- 2 1-pound packages La Molisana pasta
Instructions
- Instructions for the Meatballs:Preheat oven to 350°F.Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and spray them both with non-stick cooking spray. Start by placing all the flavorings for the meatballs into a large mixing bowl. When blending in the breadcrumbs, start with 1 cup, and add 1/2 cup if needed. The finished consistency should look like (and have the texture of) wet sand.Add the (your choice of ground meat), ground chicken. Using a fork to combine the flavorings and meat, avoid overmixing.Scoop the meat mixture into your hands, roll it into balls, then place the meatballs on the greased parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Each baking sheet should hold 24 meatballs. For nice golden-brown meatballs, spray the tops of the meatballs with a little non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 45 minutes.Instructions for the Tomato Sauce:While the meatballs are in the oven, start the sauce. On medium to high heat, add the olive oil to a heavy-bottom pot. Add in the onions, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until translucent. Add the minced garlic, Kosher salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, oregano, basil, brown sugar, and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes. Next, add the chicken stock. Let the stock come up to a bubble and reduce by half. Once the stock has reduced, add in the tomato products. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer until the meat is tender and cooked through.After the meatballs come out of the oven, add them to the sauce. Simmer the sauce for another 45 minutes.In a large stockpot of boiling salted water, add the pasta. Cook according to the package directions. In a large serving bowl, add the well-drained cooked pasta. Add 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and toss through. Ladle the sauce with meatballs over the pasta and toss through. Add fresh basil leaves.Serve tableside in individual porcelain pasta bowls. Garnish each bowl with fresh basil sprigs. Have extra cheese on hand for your guests. There you have it, my Homemade SpaghettiOs with Meatballs.
Notes
1) This tomato sauce with meatballs recipe works with any style of pasta you choose.
2) Whenever you want to make meatballs, start by adding the flavorings to a large mixing bowl first. You want the flavoring mixture to have the consistency of wet sand. Next, you'll add your choice of ground meat and combine. I use a fork to mix the wet flavoring mixture with the ground meat. Keep the ground meat as loose as possible; do not over-mix. This will ensure you'll have super tender meatballs.
3) If the ground meat starts to stick to the ice cream scoop, spray it with a little non-stick cooking spray, and the meat will release more easily.
4) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.
