Howdy folks! 😊
If you’re stuck with what to make for lunch or supper – spaghetti and meatballs never disappoints. Delicious and easy to make – and very well beloved at many dinner tables.
This is one of those Italian classics that has been adopted all over the world, with many variations. This is my take of this dish with what’s available in these parts 😊. Nothing beats fresh ingredients, and the flavor you get from fresh herbs.
Hope you’ll give this a go and thoroughly enjoy it! 😊
Here’s the recipe :
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Course: MainCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Medium6
servings15
minutes1
hourIngredients
350g lean Minced Beef
1 small Onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup seasoned Breadcrumbs
1 large Egg
1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning
2 Tablespoons chopped, fresh Parsley
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
300g Partially cooked Spaghetti
2 Tablespoons Vegetable oil (for frying the meatballs)
- Sauce
5 cloves of Garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
4 Large, ripe tomatoes (chopped and blended)
3 Tablespoons Tomato paste
1 Teaspoon smoked Paprika
1/2 Teaspoon Oregano
1/2 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1 Tablespoon fresh Basil
2 Tablespoons oil (or leftover oil from frying if its not too dark)
Directions
- Because the sauce takes the longest to cook, start with the sauce. In a pan, sauté the onion and garlic on medium heat. Then to that add 2 tablespoons of Tomato paste. Mix together and cook for 5 minutes, just to get rid of that ‘raw tomato’ taste. 😊
- After 5 minutes of cooking, add the blended tomato mixture to the pan, plus 1 cup of water, smoked paprika, salt and pepper, dried oregano and Italian seasoning. Allow this to cook covered, on medium-high heat for 30 minutes. 😊
- While the sauce cooks, finely chop the Parsley and Onions, as these will be incorporated into the meatballs. You don’t want to bite into big chunks of onion when you bite into your meatballs. 😊
- Add the onion and parsley to a bowl – together with the ground beef, breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and the egg. Mix, and then combine the ingredients well with your hands. 😊
- Form into meatballs and fry these in the oil until brown. They don’t necessarily have to be fully cooked through because they will finish off cooking in the sauce 😊. Set aside the meatballs once done frying.
- After 30 minutes of cooking, you will see the sauce and the oil begin to separate, then you know the sauce is ready for the next stage 😊. At this point, return the meatballs to the pot, and add 1 cup of water. Reduce the heat and let this cook, covered, for the remaining 30 minutes.
We want the flavor and juices from the meatballs to mix and permeate the sauce. Add the fresh Basil in, at this stage. 😊
- After 30 minutes, the meatballs are ready. 😊 Add the cooked spaghetti to the meatball dish, gently combining it through, so as not to break the noodles. Cook for 5 minutes so that the pasta cooks through and gets some of the sauce. 😊
- Transfer to your serving bowl when ready to serve, and sprinkle with some fresh parsley leaves, and/or cheese(if using). 😊
- Serve and Enjoy! 😊
