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Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef (actually, I used 85/15)
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- 4 balls bocconcini (small balls of fresh mozzarella. if you can’t find these, you can cut up bigger balls of fresh mozz and use that!)
- 1 (28 oz) can San Marzano crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 pound spaghetti
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 375.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, garlic, parsley, milk, panko, parmesan and a good pinch of coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix with your hands to combine. I’m weird but I really like mixing meat. Are we still friends?
So then, divide the meat into four enormous meatballs. Using your thumbs, press a hole in the center of each mound, and place the small mozzarella ball right in the center. Fold and press the meat around the cheese, covering the hole completely.
Pour a little of the tomatoes into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. (8×10 works, too!) Place the dried spaghetti right on top and pour the rest of the sauce over the noodles, covering every noodles.
Nestle the four meatballs on top of the noodles and sauce. Get super excited because seriously, these babes are stuffed with cheese. Place in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the meatballs are cooked through and beautifully browned on top. The pasta will be all good. Totally cooked.
Serve family style, garnished with extra parmesan cheese and parsley. Loosen the spaghetti with a fork and watch the entire dish just come to life!
Oh but wait, be sure and cut into one of the meatballs and watch that glorious goodness just oooooooze right on out. Hallelujah.
Gets no better.