Skip to main content

Meatballs Putanesca

I am a meatball fiend.  And I love olives.  Bingo - Meatballs Putanesca.


Tomato Sauce:
1/2 sweet yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp herbs de Provence, or Italian herbs
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 6-oz can tomato paste
1 15-oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar

Wet mix:
1/2 sweet yellow onion, grated (about 1/2-3/4 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup Panko crumbs
1 Tbsp favorite hot sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded (or other favorite cheese)
1 tsp herbs de Provence, or Italian herbs
1 clove garlic, minced through a press
palmful fresh parsley leaves, finely minced

1 lb ground beef

12 oz rigatoni
1 cup olives - I used kalamata and castelvetrano olives
shredded parmesan cheese for garnish
dash fresh pico de allow salsa for garnish, if desired

Make the sauce. Sauté the onion in a dash of olive oil for about 5 minutes in a medium pot.  Add the garlic, herbs and red pepper flakes and cook another 2-3 minutes.  
Add the tomato paste and cook another 3-5 minutes, stirring often.

Add the diced tomatoes and the crushed tomatoes along with the salt and sugar.  
Bring to a gentle boil, stir and reduce to a simmer.  Simmer sauce for at least half an hour.

Meanwhile make the meatballs.  Preheat oven to 375F.  Mix together the wet ingredients in a large bowl.  Add the ground beef and gently mix together - do not over-mix as this can toughen the meatballs.  Form into about fifteen 1-inch meatballs.  Evenly distribute meatballs on an oiled rimmed baking sheet.
As the sauce simmers, bake the meatballs for about 20 minutes, or until nicely browned.  
Remove from oven and gently transfer them to the sauce. Heat through.
Meanwhile, bring a well-salted pot of water to a boil for the pasta.  Add the rigatoni and cook until just before al dente.  Reserve a cup of cooking water and then drain pasta.  Tip pasta back into pot and add 1 to 2 cups of the tomato sauce.  Warm through, stirring often until pasta is cooked just al dente.  Add a bit of pasta water if needed to make a nice saucy glaze.

Tip pasta into a serving bowl and spoon on the meatballs.  Garnish with the olives and parmesan cheese, and the pico de gallo, if using.  Serve with remaining sauce on the side.


Serves 4-6.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Chicken Piccata over Squid Ink Pasta

Serve this delicious lemony piccata over your favorite pasta. 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2-inch thick cutlets 1/4 cup flour 1 lemon sliced and de-seeded  2 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp capers 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup dry white wine crushed red pepper flakes, to taste 8 oz squid ink pasta fresh parsley for garnish Melt butter in the oil in a skillet.  Fry the lemon slices for a few minutes, just until beginning to brown.   Set aside on a plate.  Lightly salt and pepper each chicken breast.  Dredge the chicken in the flour and brown the first side of each in the butter mixture in the skillet.  Flip to brown second side.  Cook over low heat for a total of about 15 minutes.   Meanwhile, bring 2 quarts of well-salted water to a boil for the pasta.  Cook until just al dente. Remove chicken to a plate when cooked through. Add capers and garlic to skillet a...

Umami Beef Short Ribs Samin Nosrat

This is the penultimate prep for beef short ribs.  Based on the superb documentary by Samin Nosrat, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, this is the most umami rib dish you will ever have.  Its the combination of red miso and soy sauce that marinates and flavors the beef - give it a long time to work right - that means overnight in the fridge; it's worth the planning ahead. 6 beef short ribs on the bone, about 3-4 lb 1 large sweet yellow onion, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 jalapeño pepper, minced 4 cloves garlic, halved Marinade: 1/4 cup red miso 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup pale dry sherry or Mirin rice wine 1 Tbsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp honey 2 cloves garlic, minced Salt the ribs generously with coarse salt and let rest overnight in the refrigerator in a resealable plastic bag. Whisk together the marinade.   Pour into the plastic bag and allow to marinate on the counter for about 2-3 hours, or again overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat...

Baked Grouper with Mushroom Wine Sauce

Fresh fish baked in a creamy mushroom sauce is always a rich reward after a hard day's work. 3/4 lb grouper (or other favorite white fish) cut into 2 portions Sauce: 2 Tbsp butter 1/2 cup onion, very finely diced 2 cloves garlic, minced through a press 1/3 cup pale dry sherry or dry white wine 1/3 cup half and half or cream 1 Tbsp corn starch 1 4-oz can mushrooms, drained and liquid reserved Preheat oven to 375F.  Sauté the onions in the butter, in a sauce pan for about 8-10 minutes, until slightly caramelized.  Add the garlic and cook for about 2 more minutes.  Add the sherry and half and half, and bring to a gentle boil. Whisk together the mushroom liquid with the cornstarch in a small bowl.  Whisk this mixture into the boiling sauce until thickened.  Add mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste.   Adjust thickness with wine, water or chicken broth if necessary, or allow sauce to thicken more by reducing slightly. Lay...