Now what child (or adult for that matter) can resist a good bowl of hearty Spaghetti & Meatballs. The sweet, tangy rich tomato sauce in this recipe transforms a classic dish into a taste sensation. We love pasta dishes in our house and enjoy it at least once a week. The big question is which pasta should we indulge in? The kids get super excited if I make this one.
The meatballs can be prepared earlier in the day which means the cooking time at dinner time shouldn’t take you longer than 20-25 minutes. While you are cooking the meatballs and tomato sauce, the pasta can be on the boil, the table can be set, and an Easy Green Side Salad to serve with it can be prepared. Too easy!
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 500g (16 oz) beef mince
- 5 rashers bacon, finely chopped
- ½ cup (50 g) dried breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup (25 g) chopped parsley
- ¼ cup (25 g) grated parmesan plus extra to serve
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 tsp. chopped rosemary
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- ½ tsp. dried chili flakes (optional)
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 750 ml (23 fl oz) jar tomato passata
- ½ cup (100 ml) red wine
- 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. brown sugar
- Cooked spaghetti (enough for 4 people)
- Shaved parmesan to serve
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the mince, bacon, breadcrumbs, parsley, parmesan, eggs, 2 teaspoons of the rosemary, half the garlic and chili flakes. Season to taste. Roll into 3 cm (1 in) balls. Arrange on a tray and chill, covered for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan on medium. Saute onion, remaining garlic and the last teaspoon of rosemary for 3-4 minutes until onion is tender.
- Stir in passata, wine, vinegar and sugar. Bring to the boil.
- Add meatballs and reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.
- Spoon meatballs and sauce over the hot cooked pasta and serve with shaved parmesan.
Cooking tips
- During the simmering process, cover with a Splatter Screen to avoid the mixture “spitting” out and making a mess.
- You can double the sauce and meatballs and freeze one quantity for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- In Dubai, a Muslim country, I cannot access red wine vinegar so I substituted it for brown vinegar which worked a treat.
- Keep a piece of parmesan cheese in the fridge to sprinkle on pastas and salads as required. Use a Microplane to shave or grate the required amount for your recipe.
If you liked this post, you might also like:
If you liked this post, please share it:
