Saturday, August 14, 2010

Spaghetti & Meatballs

When I was in high school, during the summer between my junior and senior year, I had a part time job at a pizza joint near our home.  The owner's wife worked with us and told us her father was the retired Maitre D at Moran's Restaurant in the French Quarter.  Moran's, in it's day had been one of New Orleans premier upscale Italian Restaurants. 

He had taught her their recipe for spaghetti and meatballs and we used that recipe for our "Wednesday Special", you guessed it spaghetti and meatballs.  We used to sell out every Wednesday.

Truth be told, I made this for A.J. when we had been dating for a while and the rest is history.  It is just that powerful.  I think this was the first time I've made spaghetti and meatballs from scratch since we moved to Tennessee. 
So I'm going to share with you!




These meatballs are a combination of 1lb. lean ground beef and 1lb. of Italian sausage, eight slices if bread cubed and soaked in milk, 1 egg, 1/2 cup minced onion, 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon dried basil, salt and black pepper to taste.  Loosely roll into meatballs and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.  Drain on a paper towel lined platter.  This way all that grease goes in the garbage instead of your sauce.




Over medium high heat, saute 1 onion chopped and 1/2 chopped green bell pepper in 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.  You want a 2 to 1 ratio of onion to bell pepper.




Once the onion begins to soften, add in 2 tablespoons minced garlic and two tablespoons sliced basil.


Saute the veggies for about 2 minutes.


Add in two 5 ounce cans of tomato paste and hang on to the cans for a few minutes.    Stir and cook down for about 30 minutes.  Depending on the type of pot you're using, you want to make sure the tomato paste doesn't stick and burn.


 

Once the tomato paste has cooked down, add fill each can twice with water and slowly stir the water into the sauce and thoroughly combine.


Add two bay leafs and 2 teaspoons of oregano.


Sink the meat balls into the the sauce.

 

Add in 1 teaspoon of sugar and salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and simmer for 2 hours.  Stir occasionally.



Serve over cooked spaghetti topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  Add in some garlic bread and a nice green salad and you will be amazed at the results.



29 comments:

  1. Oh My Goodness!!! This looks sooooo good (even if it is barely past 7:30 in the morning). Thanks for sharing the recipe :)

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  2. This is going on my list!!! Wow!! Starred, bookmarked, and written on a sticky note!

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  3. OOOOOOh, Spaghetti and meatballs! one of my goals is to work on my marinara sauce. A great post for me.

    Sorry I have not been around for awhile. SlOOOOOOOOOOOOOW connections made viewing and commenting on all the blogs I like impossible. But all that is finished now. Look forward to returning to being a regular again.

    Cul de Sac Dave
    formerly Island Dave

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  4. A very special recipe and how wonderful of you to share it with us. I'm transferring this right away to my recipe database and the next time I make S and Meatballs, will use this.

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  5. This is def a winner and my hubby is gonna L.O.V.E. it. Thanks so much for sharing. Have a great weekend. Blessings, SusanD

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  6. Now you're making me want to change my menu for tonight, cher! Looks divine!

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  7. Italian is my favorite food and this looks like a recipe I'll try soon - thanks for sharing it with us. Your pics make me want to like my screen.

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  8. These meatballs looks absolutely luscious. The perfect comfort food to win anyone over and yours look wonderful.

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  9. I'm so craving this now Katherine...this is one of my most favorite meals ever! Comfort food at it's best-your's looks perfect!

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  10. I am utterly convinced that everyone should have a go-to spaghetti and meatballs recipe. This looks excellent!

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  11. I just placed my lunch order....
    yep! that's right...S&M

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  12. oh girl those look so good. i am so ready for a big ole plate please.
    are you in nashville tn? my dear friend opened her first restaurant called Fuel. you should go check her out, i think you'd love it.

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  13. Definitely a dinner where you marry the woman who served that to you! Luscious, scrumptious and now am craving meatballs.

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  14. Mmm...Can't go wrong with a classic! I love that you used sausage in the meatballs!

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  15. Looks delicious Katherine. Spaghetti and meatballs is my favorite dish to make and my favorite to eat. No other meal can top it!

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  16. Wow! I didn't know you could make spaghetti and meatball's from scratch??? I thought you just bought them frozen and added them to a jar of sauce! (wink, wink)

    This does look easy enough that I could do it :) I must try this out on company next week. I think we wourld love it.

    Good luck to girls on first day of school!

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  17. I've been wanting to male spaghetti and meatballs. This recipe looks great

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  18. Oh my...what a wonderful thing for me to lay my eyes on first thing this morning! Sounds scrumptious :)

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  19. YUMM-O...I love meatballs and yours are fabulous looking, next time let me know in advance and I will be over for dinner..

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  20. I love meatballs, but hate the effort of making them. I take the lazy mom's way out: brown the beef & sausage with onion, then drain and proceed with the sauce. Yours sure are pretty!

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  21. oh wow, is there anything better then spaghetti and meatballs, especially when it's prepared like this! it looks so chunky and delish!

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  22. So yummy! Love your tomato sauce!

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  23. I could eat those meatballs for breakfast! They look amazing.

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  24. And the rest was history after you made them for him....LOL...a husband winning recipe!

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  25. I love meatballs. I've been wanting to make them, but when it's 105, you can't do meatballs.

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  26. Oh, my!! Those look wonderful. I doubt there is a better meal than spaghetti & good meatballs. I love the way you "sink them" into the sauce. Just like my grandfather used to make them. It is mid day & I am craving meatballs already...delicious post.

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  27. These have to be insanely delicious with that long cooking time! And the combo of sausage and beef - delectable!

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  28. This looks GREAT. One question though: I am confused by the amount of water to add. How many cans of water? 2 or 4?? Thanks!!!

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  29. When it comes to cooking, I’m having second thoughts, it’s just that I am not so good at it; I really don’t have the magic to make such tasty food. Good for you :)

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Thanks for stopping by, I enjoy reading your comments.

Katherine