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Campanile’s Spaghetti and Meatballs in Red Sauce





Total Time
2 hrs

This dish illustrates the principle that, as chef Mark Peel says, “It’s not what you do, it’s how you do it.” The meatballs have three kinds of meat for flavor; they’re made carefully and not overworked; and the sauce is clingy. For a small group, serve half the sauce (with half the pasta), then freeze the rest for dinner another night.

Make-ahead: Campanile’s Spaghetti and Meatballs in Red Sauce (0915)




Annabelle Breakey
  Sauce
 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
 6 large garlic cloves, halved and thinly sliced
 3 cans (28 oz. each) diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted, such as Muir Glen
  About 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  About 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
 3 large fresh basil sprigs, plus 1/2 cup leaves
  Meatballs
  About 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
 1 medium onion, finely chopped
 2 garlic cloves, minced
 4 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, chopped
 2 teaspoons cracked fennel seeds*
 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  About 2/3 cup cold dry white wine, divided
 4 ounces country bread such as pain au levain, crusts removed, cut into 1-in. cubes
 3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
 3/4 pound cold ground pork
 3/4 pound cold ground turkey (dark meat)
 3/4 pound cold ground beef chuck
 2 tablespoons flour
  Spaghetti
 1 1/2 pounds spaghetti
  About 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Step 1
1

Make sauce: In a 5- to 6-qt. pan, cook oil and garlic over medium-low heat until garlic softens, 5 to 6 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cover, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until thick, 45 minutes to 1 hour. If needed, crush tomatoes with a spoon to break up. Stir in basil sprigs. Turn off heat; keep warm.

Step 2
2

Meanwhile, make meatballs: Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add mushrooms, fennel, salt, and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are tender, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup wine and the bread until liquid is absorbed.

Step 3
3

Transfer mixture to a food processor and pulse to finely chop. Scrape into bowl of a stand mixer and let cool. Add parsley, meats, and 1/3 cup wine and beat on low speed until well blended, 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 4
4

Using wet hands, shape meat into 1 1/2-in. balls. Heat 2 large frying pans over medium heat with 1 tbsp. oil each. Brown about a third of meatballs in each pan, turning once and adding oil if needed, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. With a slotted spatula, transfer meatballs to a platter. Repeat with remaining meatballs and oil.

Step 5
5

Scrape all the drippings into 1 pan. Whisk in flour, then cook over medium heat until bubbling, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in 2 cups sauce to loosen browned bits. Scrape into pan with rest of sauce and stir.

Step 6
6

Return sauce to a simmer. Gently stir in meatballs; simmer, covered, until flavors are blended, about 20 minutes. Discard basil sprigs. Cut remaining basil leaves into fine slivers and stir into sauce. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti as package directs.

Step 7
7

Drain pasta and transfer to a large shallow bowl. Ladle all the meatballs and about half the sauce on top, and toss to coat. Serve with cheese and extra sauce.

Step 8
8

*Crack fennel seeds with a mortar and pestle, or buzz in a clean coffee grinder.

Step 9
9

Make ahead: Chill sauce and meatballs up to 1 day, or freeze up to 1 month.

Step 10
10

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 872Calories from Fat 37
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 36g56%

Saturated Fat 9.5g48%
Cholesterol 92mg31%
Sodium 2116mg89%
Total Carbohydrate 88g30%

Dietary Fiber 7.2g29%
Protein 47g94%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.