Classis spaghetti and meatballs for a crowd
Serves 12

This recipe was found in the Cook’s Illustrated Magazine – November – December 2010

Ingredients:

Meatballs

2 ¼ cups (6 oz) panko bread crumbs
1 ½ cups buttermilk (see note)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 pounds 85% lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork
6 ounces sliced prosciutto, chopped fine
3 oz parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 ½ cups)
6 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 ½ teaspoons powdered gelatin, dissolved in 3 tablespoons cold water.
Table salt and ground black pepper

Sauce

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ cups grated onion from 1-2 onions (see note)
6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press ( 2 tablespoons)
½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 teaspoons dried oregano
6 cups bottled Campbell’s tomato juice (favorite brand from staff at Cook’s Illustrated)
3 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
6 tablespoons dry white wine
Table salt and pepper to taste
3 pounds spaghetti
½ cup fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley flakes
Granulated sugar
Grated parmesan cheese for serving

Directions:

Meatballs

1.Place wire tacks in 2 foiled line rimmed baking sheets (if making entire recipe). Heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine bread crumbs and buttermilk in large bowl and let sit, mashing occasionally with fork until smooth paste forms, about 10 minutes.

2.Add eggs, beef, pork, prosciutto, parmesan, parsley, garlic, gelatin mixture, 1 ½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoons pepper to bread crumb mixture. Using hands, gently mix until thoroughly combined. Lightly form about ¼ cup mixture into 2-inch round meatballs. Approximately 40 meatballs.

3.Spray wire racks with nonstick cooking spray and add meatballs. Roast until browned, about 30 minutes.

Sauce

1.While meatballs roast, heat olive oil over medium heat in large dutch oven. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally until softened and golden around edges, 6-8 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano; cook stirring frequently until fragrant. Stir in tomato juice, crushed tomatoes, win, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.

2.Remove meatballs from oven and lower oven temperature to 300 degrees. Gently add meatballs to sauce, cover pot and place in oven. Cook until meatballs are firm and sauce has thickened, about one hour.

3.Meanwhile bring 10 quarts water to boil. Add pasta and 2 tablespoons salt, cook until al dente.

To serve

Stir basil and parsley into sauce and adjust seasoning with sugar, salt and pepper. Toss pasta with 1 ½ sauce until lightly coated. Serve pasta, passing meatballs, remaining sauce and grated parmesan separately.


Note: One cup of plain yogurt thinned with ½ cup milk can be substituted for the buttermilk. Grate the onion on the large holdes of a box grater. The ingredients in this recipe can be reduced by two-thirds to serve 4.