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Meatball Dinner

Ingredients

Marinara Sauce

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 anchovies
  • 10 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 shallots minced
  • 28 oz can whole tomatoes
  • 28 oz can san marzano tomatoes
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 fresh basil stem
  • kosher salt
  • ground black pepper

Meatballs

  • 1 lb ground lamb
  • 1 egg
  • 5 garlic cloves minced
  • ¾ cup panko
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese shredded
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 2 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • olive oil
  • 1 lb spaghetti cooked and some water reserved

Instructions

  • Heat a saucepan with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the anchovies and lightly mash into small pieces. Next, add the shallots and garlic. Cook until softened and slightly golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the whole and san marzano tomatoes and stir together well.
  • Add the oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, and sugar. Stir in well while lightly mashing the whole tomatoes. Add the basil stem. Reduce the heat to low/ medium-low and allow the sauce to simmer for about 30 minutes. Make sure to stir often and mash the tomatoes fully by the time it is done cooking. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking. If the sauce has thickened too much, add a bit of reserved pasta water to loosen it up.
  • In a bowl, combine the ground lamb, egg, garlic, panko, parmesan cheese, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Mix until it just comes together. Split the mixture into around 16 equal pieces. Take each portion and roll them up to form a ball.
  • Heat a large pan with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and brown each side, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
  • Once the meatballs have browned, remove them from the pan and place them in a deep saucepan with the marinara sauce. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 25 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through.
  • Take a portion of sauce and toss it with the cooked pasta. Plate some pasta and top with the meatballs and additional sauce. Serve with extra parmesan cheese.