One of the world’s favorite meals, Spaghetti and Meatballs sounds so potentially predictable, however when you make your own meatballs and your own Marinara Sauce from scratch, you instantly elevate this staple of Italian cuisine to a whole new level! Everyone loves Spaghetti and Meatballs. Even the cute dogs in the Disney animated film “Lady and the Tramp” liked it as well. The meat balls in this recipe are easy and foolproof by doing them in the oven, which is so much simpler than using a frying pan. If you follow this recipe, there will be no second guessing if they are cooked in the middle or not. This Marinara sauce is also my own recipe that I developed, after working at perfecting it for years. Well, guess what: this one is absolutely beyond perfect if you ask me! Give it a try, and I think you will agree.
Marinara Sauce
– 1 large (28 ounce) can Diced Tomatoes
– 1 large (28 ounce) can Tomato Sauce
– 1/2 cup chopped Onion
– 1/8 cut chopped Fresh Oregano
– 1/2 teaspoon Salt
– 1/2 teaspoon ground Black Pepper
– 1/8 cup chopped Garlic
– 1 chopped Red Bell Pepper
– 1/4 cup Olive Oil
– 1/2 cup Red Wine (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti, whatever red wine you like!)
Chop the onion, garlic and red bell pepper. Place them into a large pot, with the olive oil. Sauté the vegetables over medium heat, and when they begin to tenderize, add the chopped fresh oregano. Give it a stir for a minute or two, and let the oregano release its flavor, so that the leaves sauté for at least a minute. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, red wine, salt, and pepper. Bring the sauce up to a slow boil, then immediately turn it down and simmer for 45 minutes, until it thickens.
Meatballs
Ingredients:
– 1 pound of Ground Beef
– 1 pound of Ground Turkey (or Pork, or Chicken, or just use 2 pounds Beef)
– 2 Eggs
– 1 cup Breadcrumbs
– 1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese
– 1 tablespoon chopped Fresh Oregano
– 1 finely chopped Garlic Clove
– 1/4 finely chopped Onion
– 1 teaspoon chopped Basil
– 1/2 teaspoon Salt
– 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together by hand.
Form the meatballs by hand into bite-sized balls about the size of ping-pong balls. Use a tablespoon to measure the amount of the meat mixture in each ball, for uniformity.
On a large Pyrex baking pan or cookie sheet, bake the meatballs in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
When you remove the meatballs from the oven, make sure they aren’t stuck to your baking pan while they are hot. Carefully use a spatula or cooking tongs to loosen them if they are stuck.
Pasta
Ingredients:
– 1 pound of Pasta (spaghetti, linguini, fettuccini, angel hair, or pappardelle will do, your call! What the hell: ziti, penne, or spiral pasta will work too! Sky is the limit.)
Directions:
Boil water, and prepare the pasta according to the directions, or until it is done to your liking.
Make sure you time all three elements—pasta, sauce, and meatballs—so that they are done at approximately the same time. You can assemble this dish any way you like. You can put the drained and cooked pasta onto serving plates, place the meatballs on the pasta, and cover them with sauce. Or, you can put the sauce on the pasta, and then add the meatballs. Or, if the pot you are making the sauce in is large enough, you can put the meatballs in the sauce, and serve them that way. Have it your way!
Suggested finishing garnishes: freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh basil. This is outrageously good Italian pasta at its best. Since you have already opened a bottle of delicious red wine, pour yourself a glass and enjoy it!
Marinara Sauce
– 1 large (28 ounce) can Diced Tomatoes
– 1 large (28 ounce) can Tomato Sauce
– 1/2 cup chopped Onion
– 1/8 cut chopped Fresh Oregano
– 1/2 teaspoon Salt
– 1/2 teaspoon ground Black Pepper
– 1/8 cup chopped Garlic
– 1 chopped Red Bell Pepper
– 1/4 cup Olive Oil
– 1/2 cup Red Wine (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti, whatever red wine you like!)
Chop the onion, garlic and red bell pepper. Place them into a large pot, with the olive oil. Sauté the vegetables over medium heat, and when they begin to tenderize, add the chopped fresh oregano. Give it a stir for a minute or two, and let the oregano release its flavor, so that the leaves sauté for at least a minute. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, red wine, salt, and pepper. Bring the sauce up to a slow boil, then immediately turn it down and simmer for 45 minutes, until it thickens.
Meatballs
Ingredients:
– 1 pound of Ground Beef
– 1 pound of Ground Turkey (or Pork, or Chicken, or just use 2 pounds Beef)
– 2 Eggs
– 1 cup Breadcrumbs
– 1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese
– 1 tablespoon chopped Fresh Oregano
– 1 finely chopped Garlic Clove
– 1/4 finely chopped Onion
– 1 teaspoon chopped Basil
– 1/2 teaspoon Salt
– 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together by hand.
Form the meatballs by hand into bite-sized balls about the size of ping-pong balls. Use a tablespoon to measure the amount of the meat mixture in each ball, for uniformity.
On a large Pyrex baking pan or cookie sheet, bake the meatballs in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
When you remove the meatballs from the oven, make sure they aren’t stuck to your baking pan while they are hot. Carefully use a spatula or cooking tongs to loosen them if they are stuck.
Pasta
Ingredients:
– 1 pound of Pasta (spaghetti, linguini, fettuccini, angel hair, or pappardelle will do, your call! What the hell: ziti, penne, or spiral pasta will work too! Sky is the limit.)
Directions:
Boil water, and prepare the pasta according to the directions, or until it is done to your liking.
Make sure you time all three elements—pasta, sauce, and meatballs—so that they are done at approximately the same time. You can assemble this dish any way you like. You can put the drained and cooked pasta onto serving plates, place the meatballs on the pasta, and cover them with sauce. Or, you can put the sauce on the pasta, and then add the meatballs. Or, if the pot you are making the sauce in is large enough, you can put the meatballs in the sauce, and serve them that way. Have it your way!
Suggested finishing garnishes: freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh basil. This is outrageously good Italian pasta at its best. Since you have already opened a bottle of delicious red wine, pour yourself a glass and enjoy it!