March 2, 2009

Rigatoni and Meatballs

Martha Stewart Living Annual Recipes 2003

Since I'd never made meatballs in my life, I thought it would be fun to try. We all thought these were very tasty. And the simple homemade sauce was good as well. We didn't think to get a picture of the dish, but Gordie thought this photo of the cooking aftermath would do nicely. I don't think the sauce-splattering mess was as much an integral part of the recipe as it was a result of my not having the burner quite low enough and/or using a pot that was not quite large enough.

1 lb. ground beef or pork (or combination as the original recipe calls for)
1/4 C fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/4 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs
6 T breadcrumbs
1/4 C milk
1 1/2 t coarse salt, plus more for seasoning
2 T + olive oil
1/2 C dry white wine
2 28-oz. cans pureed tomatoes
freshly ground pepper
1 pound rigatoni, cooked

In a bowl, combine meat, parsley, Parmesan, eggs, breadcrumbs, milk, and salt. Form 1 1/2-inch balls. Heat 1 T oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add half the meatballs; cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining oil and meatballs.

Add wine to pan; stir up brown bits from bottom with a wooden spoon. Reduce wine by half, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and meatballs, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, uncovered, 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper. Fish out meatballs and transfer to a serving dish. Toss pasta in sauce; serve. Sprinkle pasta and meatballs with additional grated Parmesan if desired.

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