Pappardelle with meatballs

Posted by: alkanphel on: May 21, 2011

• In: Cooking | Food | Italian
• 6 Comments

This is a pretty simple dish, just meatballs with pasta. I’m using a different type of pasta called the pappardelle, which is a much wider version of the fettuccine. They are typically used for dishes with a thick sauce, such as wild boar ragu.

This is also the first time I’m trying out fennel in the pasta sauce, as you can see below.

Finally found some San Marzano plum tomatoes, reckoned by many to be best for making Italian sauces

1 onion is also diced up

Then added together with the diced fennel, leek and garlic, seasoned with salt.

Put into the oven to roast at 180°C for about 45 mins to 1 hour

By then the vegetables will be soft and have started to caramelise. Stir in 2 tbsp of brown sugar and same for red wine vinegar, then return to the oven for another 20 mins.

Next puree the tomatoes and add to the pot.

Add in 1 bay leaf, 3 thyme sprigs, 10 black peppercorns and 1 smashed garlic clove. Season with salt & pepper, then return to the oven for 1.5 hrs, stirring every 30 mins and tasting for correction.

At the end you should have a pretty rich oven-roasted tomato sauce

Add sauteed diced onions to the minced beef and pork mix

Follow up with 1/4 cup of dried bread crumbs, parsley, garlic and 1 egg. Mix gently until everything is evenly spread then sprinkle some salt.

Stuff a small piece of mozzarella into the center of each meatball.

Once they’re all done, bake them in the oven at 220°C for about 15 mins

They should be nicely browned on the outside by then, and hopefully juicy on the inside!

Here’s the pappardelle, simply follow instructions on the packet to cook them. I recommend tossing them with some butter, lemon juice and parsley.

And here’s the pappardelle with meatballs, garnished with some oregano.

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Tags: beef, Cooking, Food, Italian, meatball, mozzarella, pappardelle, pasta, pork