BB: Real Meatballs and Spaghetti

Real Meatballs & Spaghetti

meatballs
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 teaspoons all-purpose seasoning (Lawry's or similar)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
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

sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup good red wine, such as Chianti
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For serving:
1 1/2 pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
Freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place the ground meats, bread crumbs, all-purpose seasoning, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water 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.
2. Bake meatballs 10 to 15 minutes or until cooked through and no pink remains.
   
3. For the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large 12-inch skillet. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the 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, parsley, salt, and pepper.
4. Add the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and top with grated Parmesan.

This recipe was the first February Barefoot Bloggers selection - chosen by Rebecca of Ezra Pound Cake. Great selection, Rebecca! I don't normally like spaghetti and meatballs, but I really liked this recipe! I'll post more commentary later, but for now . . . the original recipe called for frying the meatballs; I baked them instead and it turned out to be a very good decision!