Region: Italy
Category: Pasta with Beef
Season: Any
Difficulty: Easy
This recipe came about when I found myself with some old wax beans that needed long cooking. I was influenced, too, by the pasta cookery of Emilia-Romagna when this was concocted. This is a typical family meal and I remember how pleasing it was to have it one summer day in August 1993 in Wellfleet on Cape Cod where the kids and I would summer when they were little. My mom, her companion Frank, and the kids ate this up and loved it. Mom asked for the recipe.
Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings
Preparation Time: 60 minutes
1/4 pound Italian or French bread, white part only
1 cup milk
1 large egg
2 pounds very lean ground beef
1 small red onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1/2 pound yellow wax beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium-size onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup thinly sliced strips pancetta
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half, seeded squeezed out, and grated against the largest holes of a standing grater down to the peel
1 pound spaghetti
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
2. Soak the bread in the milk until needed. In a bowl, lightly beat the egg. Add the meat, onion, parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the milk out of the bread and break up the wet bread into the mixing bowl. Knead with both hands until well blended. With wet hands, so the meat doesn’t stick, form the meat into walnut-sized balls and arrange in a lightly buttered 9 x 12-inch baking pan. Place in the oven, while you continue to work, until the meatballs are brown, about 15 minutes.
3. Split the wax beans in half length-wise (frenched) and steam or boil until soft, about 12 minutes. Stir the vinegar and sugar together until the sugar is dissolved.
4. In a flame-proof casserole, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, then cook the onion, garlic, and pancetta until the onion is soft, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn, about 3 minutes. Add the wax beans and cook for 3 minutes, stirring. Pour in the white wine and cook until it is nearly evaporated. Add the tomatoes, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the meatballs are browned. Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon and transfer to the casserole. Cook until the tomato sauce is thick, about 30 minutes. Pour in the vinegar mixture and cook for 5 minutes.
5. For every pound of pasta, bring 6 quarts of water to a rolling boil over high heat, salt abundantly with up to 1/2 cup of salt, then add the pasta in handfuls. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally so the pasta doesn’t stick together, until al dente. Drain without rinsing. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl or platter and pour the meatball sauce over the pasta and serve with pecorino cheese.
Posted: 12/14/2006
