Spaghetti And Meatballs

Spaghetti and meatballs are a well-loved classic all over the world. We all think of spaghetti and meatballs as being an Italian dish, but no, not really. Pasta, originated in China long before it was brought to Italy and meatballs have been popular in many countries, with many people saying the first meatballs came from Persia. They were known as kofta. And though the Italian immigrants certainly brought their love of pasta to America when they came over, they didn’t specifically bring over spaghetti and meatballs. More than likely, this was a creation from Italian-Americans, and was an adaptation to their budgets and what was available. Meat was readily available and much cheaper in America, so their Italian immigrants started adding meats of all kinds in their traditional dishes from home. To bulk up their meals further, they added a generous helping of pasta topped with a sauce made of canned tomatoes. These ingredients, canned tomatoes and dried pasta, were cheap to purchase and easy to cook with. The dish we call spaghetti and meatballs was born of a combination of inventiveness and resourcefulness, most of which were vegetarian or with only small portions of meat at the time. 

Italians definitely eat meatballs too, but they are usually served on their own, with no sauce. The Abruzzese Italian Americans were probably the first ones to start serving meatballs with their pasta, but they were more than likely used lamb, especially in the old country, because lamb was more readily available to them.

The dish served in Italy that most closely resembles spaghetti and meatballs is probably beef ragù, two classic versions of which originated in Naples and Bologna. Ragù Napoletano and Bolognese Ragù have been served in Italy since the Renaissance of the 14th and 15th centuries. This is a tomato-based sauce served over pasta, usually containing meat, spices and vegetables, red wine, and aged Italian cheese such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano. The sauce is simmered for anywhere from an hour to eight hours, to allow the meat to soften and deep flavors to develop. The meat used, usually a combination of beef or veal and pork, may be ground or cut into large chunks and shredded. Often, a long noodle wider than spaghetti, like pappardelle, is chosen for this dish.

Larry had been hungry for spaghetti and meatballs for awhile, and since I already some hamburger meat and ground pork defrosted and ready to go, what better time to make it, right?! I had made some hamburgers the other day and had some leftover meat with all the spices, as well as some roasted hatch peppers, already mixed together. All I needed to do was add some ground pork, bread crumbs and an egg to bind everything together for the meatballs.

After all the meatballs were made, I cooked them in batches in a large hot pot with olive oil. Don’t overcrowd the meatballs when cooking them. I cooked them for about 2-3 minutes per side until they were completely browned. Then removed them and set them aside for later.

Once the meatballs were made, it was time to cook the sauce and the pasta. I admit, I DON’T make my own marinara sauce. It’s not that I don’t know how to, but it’s usually a matter of time. To make a really good marinara sauce, you need to have a lot of time to really cook down the tomatoes and make a thick, hearty , rich sauce. I admit. I cheat. I buy a good pre-made sauce then doctor it up and add more stuff like, extra tomatoes, more garlic, more herbs, a little red wine and mushrooms.

After removing the meatballs, I added the mushrooms and garlic to the same pan, with a dash more olive oil, and cooked for about 2-3 minutes, stirring the whole time.

I added a bit of red wine to deglaze my pan, then added the pre-made sauce, herbs and extra tomatoes. I almost always serve my spaghetti with Larry’s favorite cheese bread and my secret ingredient to my sauce is the leftover garlic butter from my bread. 

Mix everything together and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Then reduce the heat to a simmer and re-add the cooked meatballs. Incorporate into the sauce and cook for an additional 20-30 minutes, at a low simmer, stirring occasionally.

Getting the garlic herb cheese bread ready. I mix in a bunch of Italian herbs with lots of garlic and butter, then spread it generously onto a crusty bread. I top it with both cheddar and Mozzarella cheese, then top it all with a sprinkle of paprika to give it a smoked flavor. Then just bake until it is crunchy and all the cheese is melted.

Because my sauce is a hearty red sauce, nothing but a big, bold red wine will do. Anything else will get lost with the sauce. !Mangia! !Buon Appetito!

Happy New Year Everyone. May it be a happy, healthy and prosperous year for all. ’Til next time.