SPAGHETTI and MEATBALLS
When we think of spaghetti and meatballs, we can't help but recall Lady and the Tramp and that sharing plate resting on a small red and white checkered tablecloth. "Look at the skies" sang the innkeeper with the accordion, inviting them to dream, and this recipe has a lot to do with dreams.
The photos on display at Ellis Island tell that in the early twentieth century, when the great Italian migration to the United States began, the suitcases of those leaving the Old Continent never lacked two simple (and above all, cheap) ingredients: pasta and tomatoes.
In America, those who had finally started to gather a bit of fortune began to indulge in something more: this is how the most Italian dish was enriched with meatballs and became a symbol of the union between two cultures. Surely no one imagined that Spaghetti and Meatballs would even win an Oscar, but thanks to Francis Ford Coppola in 1972 they became the protagonists of one of the most famous scenes in the masterpiece The Godfather.
History and history of cinema, all in one recipe to be enjoyed with those we love because achieving and fulfilling our dreams is important, but it's equally fundamental to choose well those who will join us during the journey.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
350g of ground beef
40ml of white wine
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil Colline di Romagna Emilia Food Love
Salt and pepper
For the sauce:
600 ml of Tomato Passata with Basil Emilia Food Love
1 garlic clove
4 basil leaves
2 teaspoons of oregano
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil Colline di Romagna Emilia Food Love
A pinch of salt
For the pasta:
500g of spaghetti
Parmigiano Reggiano DOP 36 months Emilia Food Love
Method
- Start with the sauce: in a large saucepan, combine all the ingredients, put it on the stove over low heat, and add 1.7 fl. oz - 50 ml of water. Then, allow the sauce to thicken. When it starts to simmer, cook it for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Meanwhile, start preparing the meatballs: chop the meat with your hands and knead it with salt and pepper. Divide the resulting mixture into 12 equal parts and form the meatballs, rolling them between your hands to achieve the characteristic round shape.
- Heat the oil in a large pan and stir-fry the meatballs over high heat. Then, deglaze with white wine and continue cooking with the lid on, stirring frequently until they are well-cooked.
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil, add the spaghetti, and cook them for the time indicated on the package.
- Combine the sauce with the meatballs and let them flavor well. Then, drain the pasta and add it to the pan. Finally, sprinkle generously with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and serve.
Tip
If you love the texture and the enveloping taste of fresh tomatoes, you can replace our Tomato Passata with Basil with Rustica Tomato Passata Emilia Food Love.
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Hard to believe, but when tomatoes first arrived in Europe in the 16th century, they weren’t seen as food at all—they were just used as decoration.
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