Spaghetti and Meatballs with Diavolo Sauce

This is the perfect weekend project because you can take your time cooking the tomato sauce low and slow for hours. I adapted this dish from a recipe by the queen of Italian cooking, Lidia Bastianich, and adjusted it after some tips from a friend’s Italian husband. I wanted a spicy diavolo sauce so I use a ton of red pepper flakes, but you can back off the heat if you want by just adding less. Using two different types of meat in the meatballs makes them perfectly juicy and flavorful. I used pork and beef here because I happened to have both in my freezer, but veal would also be a great substitute for one of them. This recipe makes about 20 meatballs, so it’s a great dish to prepare for a dinner party, or to just ensure lots of delicious leftovers. You can even form the meatballs ahead of time and refrigerate on a cookie sheet for an hour or so, until you’re ready to cook them. Oh, and the super secret ingredient to this recipe? Drinking lots of red wine while cooking it.

DIAVOLO SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

• 2 35-oz cans whole, peeled tomatoes
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tsps. or more red pepper flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt
• Pepper

DIAVOLO SAUCE PREPARATION:

Puree the tomatoes and their juices in a food processor until smooth. I had to do this in batches because my processor could only hold 1 can of tomatoes at a time.

Heat oil in a large pot and add the chopped onions. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 5 minutes. Pour in the tomato puree and stir in the bay leaves and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat on high until bubbling, then lower the heat to a slow simmer and cook for anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours. I simmered the sauce here for about 3 hours. You really can’t cook it too long; the longer the cooking time, the deeper the flavor. Stir periodically and adjust the seasoning.

MEATBALLS AND PASTA INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb spaghetti (for 4 servings; use more for additional servings)
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1/2 c. chopped basil
• 1 c. breadcrumbs (plain or Italian)
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 c. grated parmesan
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1/4 c. vegetable oil

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MEATBALL PREPARATION:

Crumble both meats into a large bowl. Sprinkle the parmesan, garlic, breadcrumbs, and basil over the meat. Mix the eggs with a little salt and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly pour about 3/4 of the egg mixture over the meat, discarding the rest. I say the recipe calls for 2 eggs, but I usually only use about 1 1/2 because any more makes the meat mixture too wet, but only 1 egg makes it too dry. If the meatballs are too dry, they won’t stay together when cooking; too wet and they won’t brown well. It’s a balance. Anyway, mix everything in that large bowl by hand until just blended. Don’t overmix or you’ll get tough, dry meatballs. Form into 1-inch balls and place onto a cookie sheet. See the below slides for visuals.

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Heat both oils in a large skillet. In batches (about 2), brown the meatballs on all sides, about 5-6 minutes.

Tuck each meatball into the simmering tomato sauce, coating them completely. Cook them in the sauce for about 30 more minutes, stirring a few times but being careful not to break them up.

Boil pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot. Spoon about 1/2 cup tomato sauce on top of the pasta, stirring to coat.

Place pasta in bowls and top with 3-4 meatballs and more delicious sauce. Serve with grated parmesan and freshly chopped basil leaves. And, of course, some nice red wine.