Angel Hair & Meatballs with Freshly-Made Sauce
Why I Love This Recipe
"Chris & I are not big pasta fans, but the kids all LOVE it....this is the first spaghetti type meal everyone likes. I had never used Parmigiano-Reggiano, and found it can be difficult to find and expensive...but it is so worth it! Even those that don't care for meatballs eat these ones. A Tyler Florence & Food Network Recipe" ~ Judy
Ingredients You'll Need
Meatballs:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Onion, Chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
2 Tbsp Parsley, Chopped
1 cup Milk
4 slices Bread, Crust Removed
1 1/2 lb Ground Beef
1 1/2 lb Ground Pork (or you can use all beef)
1 Egg
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano,Grated
Salt & Pepper
1/2 lb Mozzarella Cheese, Cut Into Chunks Or Shredded
3 Fresh Basil
1 lb Angel Hair Pasta
Pomodoro Pasta Sauce:
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium Onion, Chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
2 28 oz cans Whole Peeled Tomatoes, Drained & Crushed By Hand (*Be sure to reserve liquid from tomatoes)
Salt & Pepper
1/4 cup Fresh Basil, Torn In Pieces
1 dash Ground Red Pepper
Directions
Oven Temperature: 350°F
Pomordoro Pasta Sauce:
*Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over med-low heat; add the onion & garlic and cook until they are soft; carefully add the tomatoes and about 1/2c of the reserved liquid and season with salt & pepper
*Cook until the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes; taste and adjust seasonings if necessary
*Bring to a boil, stirring a few minutes with a wooden spoon to further break up the tomatoes
*Reduce heat and let simmer for 20 to 25 minutes; stir in the basil and any other final seasoning adjustments desired
Meatballs:
*Heat 3 Tbsp oil in skillet over medium heat; add the onion, garlic, and parsley & cook until the vegetables are soft, but still translucent (about 10 minutes); take the pan off the heat and let cool
*Pour enough milk over the bread in a bowl to moisten and let it soak while the onions are cooling
*Combine the meats in a large bowl; add the egg and parmigiano, season with salt & pepper; use your hands to squeeze the excess milk out of the bread and add that along with the cooled onion mixture
*Gently combine all the ingredients with your hands until just mixed together; don't overwork or the meatballs will be tough
*Divide into 10 equal pieces (or eyeball how big you want them and go with that); shape into balls
*Heat a 3-count of oil in the frying pan over medium heat and brown the meatballs on all sides, about 10 minutes; put them into a baking dish and spoon about half the tomato sauce over; shower with mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil
*Put the meatballs in the oven and bake at 350 degrees until the meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes
Pasta:
*Bring a big pot of water to a boil for the pasta; cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain; Either combine sauce and pasta and place meatballs on top in platter style or keep all separate for people to choose how much of each
