Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Meatballs:
3 unpeeled garlic cloves
1/4 c. vegetable oil, for frying
1 lb. ground meat (equal parts beef, pork and veal)
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
9 saltine crackers, crushed fine
1/2 heaping tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c. water
1 egg
1 tsp. tomato paste
Sauce:
1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage, cut into approximate 4-inch lengths
1/4 c. olive oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into small dice
2 cans (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
Pasta:
2 lbs. spaghetti if serving 10 in one meal
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Directions: |
Directions:Meatballs:
Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add unpeeled garlic and toast until skins are spotty brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet, peel, mince and set aside.
Heat oil over low heat in a large Dutch oven. In a big bowl, break up meat into small clumps. Add garlic, cheese, cracker crumbs, salt, pepper, oregano, basil and parsley; mix lightly with fingers. In a small bowl, whisk water, egg and tomato paste. Add egg mixture to meat mixture; mix lightly with fingers. Using a 2 tbsp. coffee scoop, form into marshmallow or drum shapes. (You should have 20 to 24 meatballs.)
Cook in batches over medium-high heat until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Sauce:
Reduce heat under now-empty Dutch oven to medium; cook sausages, turning often, until nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add olive oil, then garlic and prosciutto, to the pot; cook, scraping up brown bits, until garlic is fragrant and starts to turn golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and enough water* (1/2 to 1 c.) to make a sauce that is neither gloppy nor watery. Return sausages to the pot, bring sauce to a simmer, partly cover, then cook over low heat until sauce tastes sweet, rich and meaty, about 15 minutes.
Fish out sausages and transfer to a plate; cover and keep warm. Add meatballs to sauce and return to a simmer. Partly cover and simmer until fully cooked and flavors blend, about 10 minutes. Transfer meatballs to a plate; cover and keep warm. (Meatballs, sausages and sauce can be cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. To make two meals, divide sauce. Split meatballs and sausage evenly.)
Bring 1 gallon of water to boil. Add spaghetti and 2 tbsps. salt to boiling water; cook until just tender. Drain and return to kettle. Add about 1/3 of the sauce to the spaghetti and toss to coat. Transfer to a large, shallow serving bowl. Top with remaining sauce. Arrange meatballs and sausages around perimeter. Serve immediately with grated Parmesan cheese. |
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