Classic Spaghetti & Meatballs Recipe

Here is New York, summer is coming to an end and there is only 2 weekends left at the beach until I head back to the city. As sad as it may sound, I am really excited to go back home and do a little nesting, more cooking and enjoying the cooler days of fall. I am not sure if it is because I was in Italy a month ago, or just a craving, but this spaghetti and meatballs recipe is delicious, and perfect for dinner for back-to-school for the whole family – sure to be a hit!

Any type of ground meat will work with this recipe, but a blend of pork and beef will yield the best results. Serve the meatballs over your favorite pasta and freeze any leftovers in the sauce; they can be reheated for meatball sandwiches. If you want to make a healthier version, use white turkey ground meat. 🙂

Yield:
Makes 30 – 1 1/2-inch meatballs

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 slices best-quality bread, crusts removed
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (use 1 teaspoon if Parmesan is substituted for the Romano)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Two 28-ounce cans best-quality whole tomatoes, pulsed with juices in a blender
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1.  In a small saucepan, heat the milk. Soak the bread in the milk, turning the slices over to absorb it. Cool and mince the bread. Place it in a large bowl. Add the meats, garlic, onion, eggs, cheese, parsley, pepper, and salt. Using clean hands, mix together until completely combined.

2.  Have a rimmed baking sheet or platter ready. Roll into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. (If you periodically run cold water over your hands, the meat won’t stick to them as you roll.) If you have time, chill the raw meatballs to firm them up.

3.  Heat a 14-inch skillet (or two smaller skillets to fry in batches) over high heat. Add the olive oil and when it is very hot, add the meatballs in a single layer. Don’t crowd the pan; work in batches if necessary. Fry the meatballs without moving for a few minutes, then turn as they cook to brown on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Spoon out any excess oil from the pan, carefully scraping around the meatballs.

4.  Add the tomatoes and scrape the bottom of the pan to incorporate all the browned bits. Simmer for 30 minutes. Serve hot pasta with 3 meatballs on top, some sauce, the grated cheese, and freshly ground black pepper.

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Le Top Chef Series: Grilled Chicken with Tortellini Pasta Salad

By Tara Duggan, Chronicle Staff Writer

The pasta salad is somewhat decadent, so you don’t need much of it.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 pound small dried tortellini
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 to 2 stalks celery hearts, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 2 slices prosciutto, diced, or some julienned salami
• 1 cup small cherry tomatoes, halved if large
• 1/2 cup fresh mozzarella pearls or about 3 ounces diced fresh mozzarella

DRESSING:

• 3 tablespoons fresh pesto, stirred before measuring
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon pasta cooking water or plain water (if needed)
• Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add tortellini and cook according to package directions. Add frozen peas during the last 5 to 8 minutes so that they cook along with the tortellini.

Meanwhile, flatten chicken breasts with a mallet to a uniform 1-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper. Grill in a lightly oiled grill pan over medium-high heat until browned, 5-8 minutes per side. Lower heat and continue cooking until no longer pink in the middle but still juicy, about 2-4 minutes. Let rest a few minutes.

When peas and tortellini are done, drain, reserving pasta water for dressing, then gently rinse in cold running water until cool. Allow to drain completely. Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing. If the dressing is very thick, add 1 tablespoon pasta cooking water.

Combine tortellini, peas, celery, prosciutto, tomatoes and mozzarella in a medium bowl. Gently toss with the dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with the chicken.

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