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RECIPE: Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs with Sustainable Herbs
Description
These are my favorite oven-baked meatballs — tender and flavorful, along with my simple, go-to sauce. Herbs enhance both. With minimal time and effort — much less than what goes into a vegetable garden – you can enjoy fresh herbs anywhere from seven months to the whole year, depending on your time zone. Read the full herb story here.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the meatballs:
- 1 pound local ground beef (85 percent)
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan reggiano
- 1/3 cup plain bread crumbs or panko
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (1/2 teaspoon table salt)
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the tomato sauce:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 to 3 cloves minced garlic
- 2 cans (28 ounces) whole tomatoes, drained, roughly blended in a food processor
- Fresh basil leaves
- Fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- Large pinch of sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1 pound spaghetti
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- For the meatballs: combine all the ingredients into a bowl and mix lightly. Form meatballs. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place meatballs on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for approximately 12 to 14 minutes – try one to test doneness.
- For the sauce, add olive oil along with garlic to a medium saucepan and saute until garlic is golden, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, a branch of basil leaves, oregano and parsley, bringing to a boil, and simmer gently until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Stir in a bit more chopped basil or chopped parsley, add salt to taste. Add meatballs until heated through, but try not to “cook” any longer to preserve tenderness.
- Meanwhile, bring water to boil in large pot for cooking pasta. Add 1 tablespoon salt and cook pasta al dente. Drain. Top with meatballs and sauce. Serve immediately with grated parmesan cheese
