There’s nothing quite like an authentic Italian dish that’s been passed down from generation to generation.
Ingredients
The Sugo
- 100mL of extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 white onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
- ½ tbsp of salt
- ¼ tbsp of pepper
- A pinch of chilli flakes
- 2 x 400g cans of pomodoro pelati (peeled tomatoes)
- 700mL jar of passata
- A heavy handful of roughly chopped parsley
- 8 large basil leaves, ripped a few times over
The Balls
- 1kg of organic minced beef
- 500g sugo from the previous recipe
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup of breadcrumbs
- 6 tbsp of grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup of finely chopped fresh parsley
- 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tsp of salt
- 1 tsp of ground black pepper
- 2 slices of bread
- ½ cup of milk
Additional
- 2 packets of spaghetti
- Additional parmesan, chilli flakes and olive oil for serving
Method
The Sugo
- Heat half the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot.
- Add garlic, onion, salt, pepper and chilli then cook for about 15 minutes.
- Add cans of pomodoro pelati, passata and the rest of the oil to the saucepan and bring to a delicate simmer.
- Leave simmering for one hour, adding parsley and basil at 30 minutes and stirring from time to time.
The Meatballs
- Combine eggs, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl using a fork.
- Add then beef, then using your hands, work together the mixture for approximately 5 minutes or until it’s well combined.
- In a separate bowl, soak 2 slices of bread in milk for around 5 minutes.
- Remove the bread from the bowl, squeezing the excess milk from the bread, and rip the slices four times over.
- Add the bread to the meatball mixture and continue to use your hands to work the mixture together until combined.
- Form the mixture into 1 ½-inch diameter meatballs.
- Add enough oil to coat the bottom of a large skillet and heat over medium-low heat.
- Working in batches, add the meatballs and fry lightly for 2 minutes, rotating the balls to ensure all surfaces have been cooked.
- Add the sugo to the pan – this creates a luscious meaty flavour to the sugo – and cook for approximately 20 minutes.
- Fill a separate medium-sized saucepan three-quarters full with salted water and bring to the boil.
- Add spaghetti and cook until al dente (approximately ten minutes).
- Use tongs to transfer the pasta straight from the water to serving bowls.
- Add generous scoops of sugo along with meatballs in their sauce on top of the pasta.
- Top with Parmesan cheese, chilli flakes and a drizzle of olive oil.
E buon appetito!