Region: USA, Italian-American
Category: Pasta with Beef
Season: Any
Difficulty: Easy
This is just one of a zillion spaghetti and meatball recipes. 
My family alone has about 10 recipes we use, some my mom’s, some my grandfather’s, some my mom’s cousin’s, some mine. My mom, for instance, never makes it with wine. It is sometimes claimed that the dish is an Italian-American invention, but, in fact, the Neapolitans, Sicilians, and southern Italians in general have known spaghetti and polpettini (meatballs) for a long time. This preparation is in a rich heavily aromatic wine and tomato sauce that is cooked for a long time.
[photo: Clifford A. Wright]
Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings
Preparation Time: 4 hours in all
1 1/2 cups cubed white part of French bread
1 cup milk
1 pound ground beef
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cut in half, seeds squeezed out, and grated against the largest holes of a standing grater down to the peel
1 cup dry red wine
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon sugar
1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1. Preheat the oven to 275ºF.
2. Soak the bread in the milk and then squeeze out and place in a mixing bowl with the ground beef, egg, parmigiano cheese, 1 of the chopped onions, parsley, cream, and season with salt and pepper. Knead with both hands until well blended. Using wet hands, so the meat doesn’t stick, form into small walnut-sized meatballs and arrange in a baking pan and bake until golden brown, 2 hours.
3. In a flameproof casserole, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, then cook the remaining onion until translucent, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, red wine, bay leaf, thyme, sugar, and season with salt and pepper and simmer on low for 1 hour.
4. Remove the meatballs with a spatula from the baking pan and add to the sauce and continue cooking for 2 hours.
5. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt abundantly then cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente. Drain without rinsing. Transfer the pasta to the sauce with the butter and toss well. Serve.
Variation:
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Posted: 12/14/2006