Pastasciutta with Meatballs and Tomato Sauce
Pastasciutta with Meatballs and Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 slice hard bread, crumbled
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 pound ground meat
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for serving
- 1 garlic clove, giant, crushed
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Sauce and Pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for pasta water
- 1 pound extra long spaghetti
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the breadcrumbs: Take 1 slice of hard bread and cut it into small pieces. Place the bread pieces into a food processor. Add 1 tablespoon of milk to the food processor. Blend the bread and milk until it forms a soft breadcrumb mixture.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Combine meatball ingredients: Transfer the blended breadcrumbs to a large mixing bowl. Add 1 pound of ground meat to the bowl. Grate 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese directly over the meat and breadcrumbs. Crush one giant garlic clove and add it to the mixture. Crack one egg into the bowl. Chop 2 tablespoons of parsley and add it to the bowl. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Mix and form meatballs: Use a spatula or your hands to thoroughly mix all the meatball ingredients in the bowl until well combined. Take small portions of the mixture and roll them into tiny, small meatballs. Place the formed meatballs on a piece of parchment paper on a cutting board.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Cook the meatballs: Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a frying pan and heat it over medium-high heat on the stove. Add the tiny meatballs to the hot oil. Cook the meatballs for 5-7 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to ensure they brown evenly on all sides.
⏱️ 7 min
- 5
Add tomato sauce: Once the meatballs are browned, pour 28 ounces of crushed tomatoes over them in the pan. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the sauce. Reduce heat to medium and cook the meatballs in the tomato sauce for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
⏱️ 20 min
- 6
Cook the pasta: In a separate large pot, bring water to a rolling boil for the pasta. Once the water is boiling, add a generous amount of salt to the pasta water. Add 1 pound of extra-long spaghetti to the boiling water. Use tongs to gently push the spaghetti down into the water as it softens. Cook according to package directions until al dente.
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Combine pasta and sauce: Once the pasta is cooked, use tongs to transfer the spaghetti directly from the boiling water into the pan with the meatballs and tomato sauce. Add 1 spoonful of the pasta water (referred to as 'tears of the pasta gods') to the pan. Mix the spaghetti, meatballs, and sauce thoroughly until the pasta is well coated.
⏱️ 3 min
- 8
Serve: Transfer the pasta and meatballs into a serving dish. Grate more Parmesan cheese on top before serving.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Pastasciutta with Meatballs and Tomato Sauce
For the Meatballs
- 1 slice hard bread, crumbled
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 pound ground meat
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for serving
- 1 garlic clove, giant, crushed
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Sauce and Pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for pasta water
- 1 pound extra long spaghetti
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the breadcrumbs: Take 1 slice of hard bread and cut it into small pieces. Place the bread pieces into a food processor. Add 1 tablespoon of milk to the food processor. Blend the bread and milk until it forms a soft breadcrumb mixture.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Combine meatball ingredients: Transfer the blended breadcrumbs to a large mixing bowl. Add 1 pound of ground meat to the bowl. Grate 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese directly over the meat and breadcrumbs. Crush one giant garlic clove and add it to the mixture. Crack one egg into the bowl. Chop 2 tablespoons of parsley and add it to the bowl. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Mix and form meatballs: Use a spatula or your hands to thoroughly mix all the meatball ingredients in the bowl until well combined. Take small portions of the mixture and roll them into tiny, small meatballs. Place the formed meatballs on a piece of parchment paper on a cutting board.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Cook the meatballs: Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a frying pan and heat it over medium-high heat on the stove. Add the tiny meatballs to the hot oil. Cook the meatballs for 5-7 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to ensure they brown evenly on all sides.
⏱️ 7 min - 5
Add tomato sauce: Once the meatballs are browned, pour 28 ounces of crushed tomatoes over them in the pan. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the sauce. Reduce heat to medium and cook the meatballs in the tomato sauce for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
⏱️ 20 min - 6
Cook the pasta: In a separate large pot, bring water to a rolling boil for the pasta. Once the water is boiling, add a generous amount of salt to the pasta water. Add 1 pound of extra-long spaghetti to the boiling water. Use tongs to gently push the spaghetti down into the water as it softens. Cook according to package directions until al dente.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Combine pasta and sauce: Once the pasta is cooked, use tongs to transfer the spaghetti directly from the boiling water into the pan with the meatballs and tomato sauce. Add 1 spoonful of the pasta water (referred to as 'tears of the pasta gods') to the pan. Mix the spaghetti, meatballs, and sauce thoroughly until the pasta is well coated.
⏱️ 3 min - 8
Serve: Transfer the pasta and meatballs into a serving dish. Grate more Parmesan cheese on top before serving.
⏱️ 2 min