Spaghetti with meatballs or spaghetti con polpettine

Ingredients

• 250 gram spaghetti
• 250 gram minced beef
• 50 gram bread crumbs
• 20 gram freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• Rind and juice of half lemon
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons seasoned flour
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
• 20 gram butter

Ingredients for the sauce:

• 100 gram tomato paste or puree
• 125 ml beef stock
• 125 ml red wine
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon oregano powder
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

• Peel the onion and chop very finely
  Using your fingers combine the minced beef, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, chopped onion, egg, lemon rind and juice, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
  Roll tablespoonful of the mixture into balls then roll the balls in the seasoned flour
  Heat the oil in a large pan and the fry the meatballs in batches until golden
  Remove from pan, drain on paper towels and set aside.
  Drain excess oil and juices from pan
  
  To make the sauce:
  Combine tomato paste / puree, beef stock, wine, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper in pan and bring to the boil.
  Reduce the heat and return the meatballs to the pan
  Simmer for 15-20 minutes
  Meanwhile, add the spaghetti to a large pan of rapidly boiling water and cook until ‘al dente’ then drain.
  Put the butter on another pan and melt it on medium heat
  Add the spaghetti on the melted butter and toss it with a fork
  Roll the spaghetti using the fork and place them on the serving plate
  Add the sauce with the meatballs around the spaghetti

Questions

Photos of members who cooked this recipe