Spaghetti Drowned in Marrow-Rich Meatballs
Crank up the flavor game with an Italian-American twist on a classic dish using this recipe for Spaghetti and Bone Marrow Meatballs inspired by chef Richard Blais's cookbook, "So Good". Tender pork-and-beef meatballs, swimming in a rich, savory marinara sauce, take center stage. Infused with ricotta cheese, fresh herbs (basil, oregano, sage, rosemary, and parsley), and the luxurious taste of bone marrow, this might just be the best plate of spaghetti and meatballs you've ever devoured.
Don't stop there – take your pasta game to new heights with our Garlicky Basic Spaghetti, Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Spaghetti, Chicken Parmesan Spaghetti, and Spaghetti with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Feta, and Herbs recipes!
Yield: 4 servingsDifficulty: EasyPrep Time: 40 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients (21)
- 1 yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 32 ounce can whole tomatoes and their juices
- 1/4 cup red wine (optional)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 8 ounces ground pork
- 8 ounces ground beef
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh sage, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup bone marrow, chopped
- 12 ounces dry spaghetti
- 1 cup plain bread crumbs, toasted
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot, mix the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until the onions are translucent and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove half of the contents from the pot and let cool to lukewarm. Transfer to a lidded container and refrigerate to cool completely. Meanwhile, add the tomato paste to the pot with the remaining onions and cook, stirring, until the natural sugars in the paste begin to caramelize and it is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes and cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pot to make sure nothing burns, until heated through.
- Add the red wine (if using) and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes to give the alcohol in the wine a chance to evaporate. Use a wooden spoon to stir and scrape up any bits that might stick to the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally to ensure the sauce does not burn, for about 18 minutes longer.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir the ricotta with the refrigerated onion-garlic mixture. Add the ground pork, ground beef, basil, oregano, sage, and rosemary. Mix the meat with your hands and, when just combined, add the parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly, but take care not to overmix. Shape the meat into meatballs the size of Ping-Pong balls.
- In a large sauté pan, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan and adding a little more oil as needed, sear the meatballs lightly on all sides until they begin to brown. Transfer the meatballs to the tomato sauce, add the bone marrow, and simmer the sauce over low heat for about 20 minutes to finish cooking the meatballs and allow the bone marrow to render its fat. Make sure to add any accumulated fat from the meatballs to this sauce!
- While the meatballs and sauce are cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce and meatballs. Toss well and serve immediately, garnished with the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.
Enhance your cooking through learning! This recipe is a spin on the Italian recipe Spaghetti con Polpette al Sugo di Manzo and the authentic recipe is a delight to experiment with there. Don't forget – the key to this dish is making sure your meatballs are delicately seasoned and embraced by a rich, garlic-infused marinara sauce. Enjoy your culinary journey with this flavor-packed spin on a classic dish!
- Incorporate the ricotta cheese, fresh basil, oregano, sage, and rosemary into the meatball mixture along with the ground pork and beef to create a flavorful combination.
- As you sear the meatballs, remember to include the luxurious taste of bone marrow by adding it to the tomato sauce as they finish cooking, allowing the bone marrow to render its fat.
- Following the instructions, ensure you've turned your spaghetti and meatballs dish into a garlic-infused masterpiece by adding the cooled onion-garlic mixture to the ricotta cheese before mixing with the meat.
- To complete the Italian-American twist on this classic dish, garnish your plate with toasted plain bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese before serving, as instructed in the recipe's final steps.
