Spaghetti & Meatballs Dinner Special

This meal is not traditionally Italian it was developed in the US by the Italian American community. Meatballs are traditional in Italy but they are larger and known as polpetti and not served on pasta. This Spaghetti & Meatballs recipe was created at Pazzo Chow because many regulars requested it, so we gave the people what they wanted in our Pazzo Chow way and it became a very busy Friday night dinner special.

The components of the recipe are: Spaghetti with Classico Sugo Sauce / Meatballs made with organic beef / Kale  caesar salad / Focaccia with garlic and butter

feeds 4 ppl (American size portions = big)

INGREDIENTS

1 pouch/jar Classico Sugo Sauce
400g dried Spaghetti pasta
2 lbs organic ground beef
2 large free range eggs + egg white from dressing
1/2 bunch fresh flat leaf parsley (include 3/4 of stems) finely diced
1 tsp dried chili 
1 tblsp preserved or fresh lemon peel diced as fine as possible
2.5 tblsp crushed fresh garlic (1 tblsp meatballs, 0.5 tblsp dressing, 1 tblsp focaccia)
1 small tin of anchovy filets with their oil finely diced (0.75 tin for meatballs / 0.25 tin for caesar dressing)
1/4 pan stale focaccia (or other stale bread) chunky, broken up with hands
1 tsp fine sea salt
2 bunches kale (2 classic or 1 classic and 1 tuscan mix)
1 free range egg yolk only (for caesar dressing)
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 lemon
3 tblsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup salted butter
1 focaccia pan (click here for the recipe) but replace the rosemary and glug of olive oil with 1 tblsp crushed fresh garlic and 1/3 cup salted butter scattered on it before baking
1 cup fresh grated Grana Padano or Parmiggiano cheese

MEATBALLS

• In a large bowl add; beef, eggs + egg white, parsley, lemon peel, garlic, anchovy, stale focaccia, sea salt, chili in and mix gently with your hands until all ingredients are mixed together evenly

• On a large baking pan with an edge and covered with wax paper

• Use a 2oz portioning scoop (if you have one) otherwise create evenly sized about 1.5in diameter balls and place on tray about 1 inch apart you should get about 20 balls

• Bake in preheated oven for 25mins at 425f

PASTA & SAUCE

• Put a large pot to boil with 2L of salted (like the sea) water

• When actively boiling, remove lid, add spaghetti and boil for 10 mins

• Empty whole pouch/jar of Classico Sugo Sauce into a deep sauce pan on lowest element setting to warm up slowly

• When meatballs are ready empty directly into the sauce pan with the sauce, but sure to include the melted fat on the pan

KALE CAESAR

• Hold spine of the kale leaf and rip the leaf off the spine, often it works to hold the spine of the kale tight with one hand and then clutch the spine and leaf with the other hand and rip the leaf off of the spine in one motion by clenching tight and going counter direction to the direction of the veins of the leaf

• Soak kale leaves in ice cold water for 5-10 minutes while you make the Caesar dressing

• Break or cut up kale leaves to bite size and dry in a salad spinner or clean kitchen towel

• Put in fridge until ready to mix and serve

CAESAR DRESSING

• In a blender, immersion blender or Nutribullet add egg yolk, 0.25 tin of anchovy filet, 1/2 tblsp fresh crushed garlic, lemon juice of a whole lemon (you can use 3-4 tblsp apple cider vinegar instead of lemon or a mix of both), 3 tblsp of extra-virgin olive oil, dijon, dash of salt, dash of ground black pepper 

• Blend until all ingredients are mixed well and taste

• Add some water if dressing is too thick and/or taste is too strong

• Adding some grated cheese is an option also, but not necessary for delicious taste

• Dress kale and mix the dressing around so there is a light coating all over the kale, but careful not to add too much dressing, so add a little at a time

GARLIC BUTTER FOCACCIA (pre make, leave at room temperature and re-heat in oven after you pull out the meatballs)

• Make the classic focaccia (link to page)

• Add crushed garlic and little chunks of soft but not melted butter over the focaccia dough instead of adding rosemary and olive oil right before baking

PLATE & SERVE

• Place spaghetti on a 1/3 of the plate add 3-5 meatballs with sauce on top of the noodles

• Place dressed and mixed kale on 1/3 of the plate

• Place a warm chunk of the garlic butter focaccia on the plate in the remaining space 

• Dust the meatballs and spaghetti and salad with fresh grated cheese