The time-honored combination of lovingly made meatballs simmered in tomato sauce and served atop a tangle of spaghetti is one of our all-time favorite comfort meals. The meatballs in this recipe, adapted from Emeril Lagasse’s “Sizzling Skillets” cookbook, are enlivened with our newest salt blend – Tomato Salt.
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 slices good white sandwich bread, crusts removed and then torn into pieces about the size of a quarter
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- ¾ pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnishing
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Salt
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground Kampot black pepper
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ quarts favorite tomato sauce
- Cooked spaghetti
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Combine the bread and buttermilk in a mixing bowl and set aside to soak for 10 minutes. Mash the bread with a fork or potato masher to make a paste. Place the ground beef, Italian sausage, Parmesan, parsley, garlic, tomato salt, and Kampot pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add the bread paste and mix all the ingredients gently but thoroughly together. Shape into 9 to 10 large (1/2-cup- size) meatballs and refrigerate briefly to firm up, about 30 minutes.
- Remove the meatballs from the refrigerator and give them another quick shaping to make sure there are no cracks or fissures in the formed meatballs.
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Brown the meatballs, in batches, turning frequently to brown on all sides, until thoroughly cooked, about 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Transfer the finished meatballs to a rack or platter.
- Pour your favorite tomato sauce into a large pot, add the meatballs, and bring all to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes to meld the flavors. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to package directions, drain, and divide between warmed serving bowls. Top with an ample amount of sauce and at least one large meatball per serving. Pass extra Parmesan cheese at the table and serve at once.
Makes enough for 2 pounds of spaghetti, serving 8 to 10
Written by Sarah Leah Chase
Sarah Leah Chase moved to Nantucket, Massachusetts, as a year-round resident in 1980 and opened a specialty food shop and catering business called Que Sera Sarah, which soon became an island institution.
Sarah develops recipes and concepts for her husband Nigel’s specialty food company, Coastal Goods. She lives with her family on Cape Cod, where she enjoys oystering and gardening as much as cooking.
