Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs 🍝
It's easy, It's delicious, and It's a classic. We've got the classic spaghetti and meatballs. But don't let the name fool you, It's nothing short of spectacular! This dish will for sure always be my favorite classic Italian dish. I've been making meatballs my whole life since my mother taught me and have tried so many different ways to perfect them and y'all when I tell you this is the best way I've ever made them, I mean it. That's why I'm posting this delicious meal for my friends to try!
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 lbs ground chuck
- 1 lb fusilli col buco #108
- 2 thick cut bone in pork chops
- 2 hunks of stale Italian bread ripped up
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup milk enough to cover bread
- 24 oz jar passata
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 whole bulb garlic chopped & divided
- 2 eggs
- 6 pieces basil ripped up + a handful of ripped up basil, divided
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley save some for garnish
- 2/3 cup Italian style breadcrumbs
- 3 oz grated pecorino romano + 1 oz hunk Pecorino Romano divided
- At least 4-6 tbsp olive oil
- 8 oz red wine
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning & 1 tbsp garlic powder or to taste
- Pinch of sugar
- Salt & pepper to taste (layer as you go)
Instructions
- In a bowl add the ripped up stale bread and pour the milk over the bread. Let that sit for about 5 minutes.
- In a separate bowl add the ground chuck, the bread that was soaking in the milk (squeeze the milk out of the bread before adding it to the bowl) half the chopped garlic, parsley, 6 pieces of basil, eggs, Italian bread crumbs, 3 oz grated Pecorino Romano, salt, & pepper. Mix everything together but DON’T OVER MIX IT. Form into meatballs.
- In a pot with olive oil, on medium-high heat fry the pork chops until browned on both sides. Once browned remove them from the pot and set them aside.
- In the SAME pot, add the other half of the chopped garlic, crushed pepper, salt & pepper. Sauté that for a few minutes until fragrant. Then add in the tomato paste and sauté that until browned.
- Add in the red wine, bring the pot to a boil, and let that cook for a few minutes so the alcohol can burn out. Then stir in the whole peeled tomatoes, lower the pot to a simmer, crush up tomatoes with a wooden spoon, and add the Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Give that a stir and let that simmer together for about 20 minutes.
- Then add in the crushed tomatoes, passata, 1/2 cup of water, sugar, the pork chop (with all its juices), the meatballs, and 1 oz hunk Pecorino Romano. Bring the pot to a bowl, then lower it to a simmer, cover the pot halfway with the lid, and let that simmer for about an hour.
- When there is 10 minutes left, add in a handful of ripped up basil, cover the pot halfway with the lid, and let that simmer for the remaining 10 minutes.
- In a separate pot, boil the noodles until al dente, and then serve the meatballs and sauce over the pasta. Enjoy!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!