Spaghetti and Meatballs
Today we’re taking a deep dive into spaghetti and meatballs completely from scratch.
Ingredients
SPAGHETTI DOUGH (using pasta extruder)
- 4 lrg eggs
- 250 g or 2c ap flour
- 210 g or 1 1/4c semolina flour
- 5 g or 1tsp salt
- 20 g or 1 1/4Tbsp water
MEATBALLS
- 250 g or 1c buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 150 g or about 4.5c bread, cubed (i find that regular white bread works well)
- 125 g or 1 1/2c parmesan, grated
- 15 g or 1/3c parsley, chopped
- 15 g or 2Tbsp garlic, minced
- 18 g or 1Tbsp salt
- 3 g or 2tsp black pepper
- 15 g or 1Tbsp lemon juice
- Pinch chile flake
- 450 g or 1lb 80/20 ground beef
- 450 g or 1lb 80/20 ground pork
TOMATO SAUCE
- 100 g or about 1/2c olive oil
- 150 g or 1.5c yellow onion, small diced
- 15 g or 2Tbsp garlic, minced
- Salt
- Chile flake
- 1 28 oz can whole tomatoes, pureed until broken down
- 1 can crushed tomatoes, 28 oz
- 5 g or 1 1/4tsp sugar
Instructions
SPAGHETTI DOUGH (using pasta extruder)
- Add eggs, flour, semolina, and salt to mixer with paddle attachment. Mix on low for 60sec until dough begins to hydrate then add in water if needed.
- When dough is coming together into a mass, switch to dough hook and continue to mix on low for about 2 more mins.
- Flip dough onto work surface and continue to knead by hand for about 60 seconds or until it’s formed into a ball. Place in the fridge covered for about 30min.
- Remove dough from fridge and pinch off small pieces (about the size of a large walnut). Warm slightly and roll into a ball then drop into extruder (since im using my kitchen aid, the mixer is running on high speed).
- Cut at desired length then place on a floured tray and dust with flour.
- Cook in well salted boiling water for 3-4 min (or per package instructions if using dried pasta).
- Reserve some pasta water to finish pasta.
MEATBALLS
- Add buttermilk, egg, and bread into a bowl and mix to hydrate.
- Add parm, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, chile flake, and meats. Mix together until just combined. Try not to over mix.
- Divide meat into 15 100-105g pieces, roll into balls, and place on a parchment lined sheet tray.
- Bake at 475F/250C for 20 min until beginning to brown. Allow to rest for 10 min.
- Reduce oven heat to 325F/160C.
TOMATO SAUCE
- Heat large pot or dutch oven over medium.
- Add very long squeeze olive oil, onion, garlic, and generous pinch of salt. Stir to combine and sweat over medium for 10min or until onions are translucent and softened.
- Add pinch of chile flake, stir. Add in both cans of tomatoes. Stir, reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for about 15min.
- Taste for seasoning and add salt and 5g sugar if needed. Stir.
- Gently lower cooked meatballs into the sauce and stir to coat. Return pot of sauce/meatballs into 325F/160C oven and cook for 20-30min.
- When finished, the sauce should be nicely concentrated with browned edges.
TO FINISH
- Add portion of pasta into a saute pan over low heat with 2 small pads of butter and a spoonful of pasta water.
- Swirl until combined and emulsify.
- Add pasta to plate, top with 2 meatballs, sauce, grated parm, chopped parsley, and a drizzle of nice olive oil.
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