Yummy Pasta with Meatballs
Submitted by 1965076
Pasta with meatballs in a tomato sauce deepened with bacon and Marsala, the tender bread-bound meatballs simmered right in. The pasta is tossed in butter and sauce, then showered with parmesan.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
40 minREADY
1 hrsThis pasta and meatballs has a sauce with more going on than the usual red gravy. Fresh tomatoes are run through a food mill into a smooth puree, then simmered with garlic, smoky crumbled bacon, and a good splash of Marsala, whose sweet, nutty depth sets the sauce apart.
The meatballs are kept tender by an old Italian trick: milk-soaked French bread worked into the ground chuck along with parsley, egg, and parmesan. That panade keeps them juicy rather than dense. Brown them on all sides but stop short of cooking them through, since they finish gently in the sauce, soaking up flavor as they go.
For the pasta, toss it first with butter, then with a few spoonfuls of the sauce, so every strand is glossy before the meatballs and the rest of the sauce go over the top. Pass extra parmesan at the table.
Chef Tips
- Soak the bread and work it into the meat; this panade is what keeps the meatballs tender and juicy instead of dense.
- Brown the meatballs but don’t cook them through; they finish in the sauce, which keeps them moist and flavorful.
- Toss the pasta with butter and a little sauce before plating, so the noodles are coated and glossy.
- Run the tomatoes through a food mill for a smooth sauce, or use good canned puree.
Variations
- Use a mix of beef and pork for richer meatballs.
- Add a pinch of chili flakes or fresh basil to the sauce.
- Serve over spaghetti, fettuccine, or any pasta you like.
Ingredients
Directions
Put the tomatoes trough a food mill to purée pulp.
In a large skillet or medium saucepan, melt half the butter.
Add the garlic, tomato purée, and crumbled bacon.
Then add salt and pepper to taste and boil this sauce hard for five minutes.
Add the marsala and oregano, and cook for another 5 minutes. Set aside.
Put all the meatball ingredients except the vegetable oil.
Shape the mixture into 12 balls, and in the skillet brown them on all sides in the vegetable oil.
Do not overcook, they will cook further in the sauce.
Add the meatballs to the tomato sauce and keep warm.
Cook the pasta until al dente, drain well and return to the pot in which it cooked.
Add remaining butter and toss well. Add several large spoonfuls of the tomato sauce and toss well again.
Transfer pasta to a large serving platter or bowl.
Pour sauce and meatballs overall, serve and pass the cheese if desired.
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