Spaghetti and Meatballs

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to "L Hadley Somewhere in California" for this not-so-true food
funny:

I bought a set of kitchen knives for only three easy payments of
$29.95 with a lifetime guarantee. When the handles fell off, I
returned them with my lifetime guarantee asking for a refund. They
wrote back saying, "The guarantee was for the lifetime of the knives.
Obviously, the knives are dead, so the guarantee is no longer valid."

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            TODAY'S RECIPE
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Although meatballs do exist in Italy, you're not likely to find them
served on spaghetti. One theory of the origin of this dish has
American social workers chastising Italian immigrants for not having
enough protein in their healthy pasta and tomato and olive oil
Mediterranean diet. Pasta is rarely served as a main dish in Italy,
but the Americanized version of this dish, with its gargantuan
portions of meat and sauce (by Italian standards), could never be
served any other way.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

For the meatballs:
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) soft bread cubes from sliced
white bread (about 2 to 3 slices, including crusts)
1 egg
1/3 cup (80 ml) milk
1 lb (450 g) ground beef or beef and pork mixture
1/2 cup (125 ml) freshly grated Parmesan cheese,
plus additional for garnish
2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) finely chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the sauce:
3 Tbs (45 ml) olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp (2 ml) dried oregano
1/4 tsp (1 ml) red pepper flakes, or to taste
4 15-oz (420 g) cans Italian plum tomatoes with their liquid
2 Tbs (30 ml) tomato paste
2 Tbs (30 ml) chopped fresh basil or parsley
1 tsp (5 ml) red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 lb (450 g) spaghetti or other thin noodle, cooked according
to the package directions

Combine the bread, egg, and milk in a mixing bowl, stirring to
combine, and let rest for 15 minutes. Mash the bread mixture with a
fork to make a smooth paste. Add the remaining ingredients and stir
to combine. Form the meat into balls about the size of golf balls (or
larger if you like) and place them on a greased baking sheet. Bake in
a preheated 400F (200C) oven until browned, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a pot over moderate heat
and saute the onion until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add
the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes with their liquid, crushing the tomatoes with your
hand as you add them. Add the tomato paste, basil, vinegar, salt, and
pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for
20 to 30 minutes. Add the meatballs and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

To serve, toss about 1 cup of the sauce with the drained spaghetti and
divide it between 4 to 6 serving plates. Top with the meatballs and
remaining sauce and serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serves
4 to 6.
Received on Thu Aug 5 09:11:06 2004