Pasta With Meatballs

Pasta With Meatballs

For the meatballs:
8 ounces ground pork
8 ounces ground beef
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons bread crumbs or semolina
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:
1 onion, peeled and halved
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups tomato passata or puréed canned tomatoes (not canned tomato purée, which is thicker)
Pinch of sugar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup whole milk 1 pound spaghetti, tagliatelle or linguine, cooked to taste.

 Prepare meatballs: In a large bowl, combine pork, beef, egg, Parmesan, garlic, oregano, bread crumbs, salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly but lightly, handling mixture as little as possible. Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of meat mixture into balls 1 inch in diameter, and place on plastic. Refrigerate while making sauce.

Prepare sauce: Combine onion, garlic and oregano in a food processor, and purée until smooth. Combine butter and oil in a wide, deep pan, and place over low heat until butter melts. Add onion-garlic mixture. Simmer, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes; do not brown. Add passata and 2 cups water to pan. Season with sugar, and salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer for 10 minutes, then add milk and bring sauce back to a simmer. Gently drop in meatballs one by one so that they do not break; do not stir pan. Cover pan partially with a lid, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Adjust seasonings to taste. Place hot pasta in a large serving bowl. Pour most of sauce (reserving meatballs) on pasta, and toss to combine. Top pasta with meatballs, and serve.

Marinara Sauce

1/4 cup of olive oil
4 cloves of garlic sliced in half
1 35oz can of imported Italian tomatoes
3 basil leaves, washed, patted dry and chopped
1/2 teaspoon of oregano
salt & pepper to taste

Saute garlic and olive oil in large sauce pan until soft and lightly browned.  Crush the tomatoes and add with their juices.  Fill empty tomato can 1/4 of the way with water and pour in with tomatoes. Add basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook until thickened approximately 20 to 30 minutes.