Tom Saaristo Spaghetti & Meatballs

http://tomsaaristo.com

Tom's Spaghetti & Meatballs

Ingredients

For the sauce:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
7 cloves garlic: 4 whole, 3 minced
1 28 ounce can peeled San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 28 ounce can plum tomatoes, chopped coarse
sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
dried red pepper flakes, to taste

For the meatballs:
1/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
1/2 pound ground beef [not lean]
1/2 pound ground pork [not lean]
2 whole eggs
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano, plus additional for serving
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 clove garlic, minced fine [see Cook’s Note]
1 large shallot, minced fine [see Cook’s Note]
1 cup dry bread crumbs [Progresso “Italian Style” recommended]
1/4 cup milk

1 cup safflower or canola oil, for frying

1 pound spaghetti, cooked al dente

Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Method

For the sauce:
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the 4 whole cloves garlic and sauté until just brown. Add the 3 minced cloves garlic and contents of both cans of tomatoes. Season with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and red pepper flakes; let simmer while you prepare the meatballs.

For the meatballs:
Use your hands to form meatballs by mixing sausage meat with ground beef and pork, eggs, cheese, oregano, garlic and shallot. Add bread crumbs and incorporate fully. Add milk, drop by drop, until mixture is moist and holds together. Form into balls.

Heat oil in a large pot or 12 inch skillet and fry meatballs in batches, browning all sides. Remove to paper toweling to drain.

Arrange drained meatballs in sauce and simmer 20 minutes.

Put a little of the sauce on a large platter and plate the spaghetti in “nests”. Serve sauce and meatballs on top of hot spaghetti, garnish with basil and pass grated Pecorino Romano at the table.

Serves six.

Cook’s Note: On occasion I employ my rasp to grate the garlic and shallot for the meatballs. Grating quickly releases more of the essential oils and creates a finer-textured end product allowing even-distribution throughout the meatballs.