Meatballs and Spaghetti (Quick)

By exdircomp

Ingredients

• For the meatballs:
• 1/2 pound ground veal
• 1/2 pound ground bison
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 3/4 pound ground beef
• 3/4 cup warm water or beef stock
• 1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)
• 1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 extra-large egg, beaten
• Vegetable oil
• Olive oil
• For the sauce:
• 2 tablespoon good olive oil
• 2 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
• 3 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 red bell pepper diced
• 1/2 pound of mushrooms sliced thinly
• 1 cup good red wine, such as Chianti
• 2 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup beef broth
• 4 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon basil
• 1/4 teaspoons oregano
• For serving:
• 1 1/2 pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
• Freshly grated Parmesan

Preparation

Step 1

Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, herbs, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water/beef stock in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.

Bake the meatballs in the oven at 325 degrees for about 1 hour or until done. Place a pan of water under meatballs for moisture while baking.


For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion. pepper, garlic, mushroom and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add more garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the broth and wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, tomatoe paste, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 1 hour up to 4 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan.