I hope I didn’t traumatize anyone with my photo of my mating cockatiels photo. Due to popular demand, the video will be coming shortly! ;)
It’s Good Friday today for most of you but for us Greeks, it’s just another Friday…the beginning of the weekend.
For us Greeks in the Diaspora, Good Friday is usually a day for simply relaxing and trying to find something, anything to do as most stores and such are closed for the observance.
Me? I can cook.
I broke down. I’ve had meat.
It’s been awhile since having a good bowl of Spaghetti and Meatballs. Here, I’ve adapted a recipe from Rocco DiSpirito, who some will remember as the cute chef on that reality TV show who was intoxicated with fame, signing autographs and ultimately losing his restaurant due to poor management skills.
Here, Rocco shines in this spaghetti dish. No doubt Mama Dispirito taught this guy his cooking chops and if you’re looking for a Spaghetti and Meatballs dish…this is the one!
Before I go on to the recipe, let me emphasize that it’s real important to include mild Italian sausage in the meatball mix. The meatballs are fabulous with the pork, veal and beef but if you must just use beef, don’t skimp on the Italian sausage…it truly gives this dish the Italian taste and aroma.
Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of the recipe, I found some Zeppole at the Italian bakery today…they taste so damn good!
Spaghetti With Meatballs
Meatball Mixture
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium onion, grated
1/4 lb. mild Italian sausage (removed from casings)
1/4 lb. ground pork
1/4 lb. ground veal
1/2 lean ground beef
1 egg
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1/2 breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp. Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dry oregano
1 tsp. black pepper
1 -1 1/2 tsp. salt
Tomato Sauce
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 can of plum tomatoes, pureed
1 can of plum tomatoes, crushed by hand
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. dry oregano
1 handful fresh torn basil
- Add all of the meatball ingredients in a bowl and mix with your hands until thoroughly amalgamated. Make a small meatball and and fry it to taste. Adjust seasoning accordingly.
- Form into meatballs and fry off in oil in batches or bake in a pre-heated 400F oven turning sides every 15 minutes until nicely browned all over. Reserve.
- To make the sauce, add your olive oil to a large saucepan and saute your onions for about five minutes to soften. Add your garlic and saute for a minute. Now add your wine, tomato sauce, oregano and simmer for an hour.
- Add your meatballs to the sauce, cover and allow the sauce to thicken and heat the meatballs through.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and stir in your fresh torn basil.
- Serve over a bed of spaghetti with some bread and vino.
You weak man! :) You broke down! You had meat :) But let me tell you, if having you breakdown means having you make meatballs like these, well, honey, breakdown, breakdown everyday (lol)
Those meatballs make my mouth water. I’ve always had a thing for meatballs and those sound particularly good.
Hmm..maybe I should start cooking Greek food. Well, someone has to do it! haha
This post looks absolutely yummy. Good job, Paisano!
If you have to give it up give it up for meatballs:D
Now, can you imagine how it must feel to be a vegetarian/vegan?! When we returned home from our ‘pork-fest200’ in Madrid in January, we needed to detox from meat. At the time, feeling all fat and bloated, we figured we’d abstain from meat for at least a week, hopefully two. We lasted 5 days and broke down. I’m not really a fan of Rocco, even though I think he’s talented and his “mama” is very cute, but it’s just all TOO much. He IS super cute peter – BUT, he’s the type of guy who knows it and that’s what I don’t like about him. But, we do have one of his cookbooks and I sometimes refer to it for good ‘ole bistro Italian-American fare. His mama’s red sauce IS good. But, you know, spaghetti and meatballs is something lots of folks can easily mess up! This is a great recipe. He does have good recipes… and that mama knows what’s going on.
GO you for the double-dose of pre-Easter eating – ZEPPOLE! I almost took you for an Italian! HAPPY EASTER.
Amy @ http://www.weareneverfull.com
Yanno… I always wondered if Mama’s spaghetti and meatballs was as wonderful as they made it out to be… I think it might be time to give it a shot!
A mating cockatiel video? Hmmmm, not sure what sort of food you pair that with.
The meatballs look so good. I’m sure I’d sneak one or two before plating the spaghetti :-)
Nice looking spaghetti and meatballs! I really like using the meat from Italian sausages to replace some or all of the ground meat in dishes to add lots of extra flavour. I have never had a Zeppole but it looks really good!
Wow, every single one of your photos makes me drool.
This looks great. I am definitely going to make this next week. It has been years since I have had spaghetti and meatballs!
Mama Mia! Those are some hot looking meatballs! Spaghetti and meatballs is my ultimate comfort food. After the day I ‘ve had, I could use some!
The zeppola looks great too, but I’m all zeppoled out! ;)
Cynthia, I’ll fast again for our final week of Lent.
Sylvie, the meatballs are a winner…make the sauce as you like.
Maryann, it takes a Greek to propery cook Italian food…Ahahahaha!
Val, meatballs slay me.
Amy, this dish is a winner. I’m sticking to this Spag & Meatballs recipe until/if something better comes along. Also, Greeks don’t celebrate Easter until Apr. 29th.
Culi-gal…there’s da bomba!
Allen, these also make for good sandwiches.
Kevin, Italian sausage adds depth to the dish.
Judy, do you need a napkin? lol
Do, do share the results with us.
Sticky, I’m in love with Zeppole.
I just made a big pot of sauce and some meatballs today too! (not Rocco’s) You did good Peter, you did real good! Zeppoles only come out for a few weeks here in March, and let me tell you, we’ve made quite a few trips to the bakery!!!
There’s nothing better than a good plate of spaghetti and meatballs and this recipe sounds so awesome that I am hungry again, and I just had dinner, hehe.
Cheers!
This is a serious pasta and meatball dish to make any Italian mamma proud! You used 3 types of meat for your meatballs….it is a triple threat!
Oh we are so looking forward to the cockateil video! You last cockateil photo is just hilarious! Can’t wait to see the action in real time! :)
Peter, I could not agree with you more… it takes a Greek to cook Italian food properly! ;-)
What can I say that has not already been said about those balls of meat which you so tenderly and lovingly created, and then so readily proferred for the likes of me; so that I might drool unabashedly onto my keyboard…?
The tree types of meat I’m sure must add a lot of intense flavors. The concentrated tomato sauce, is right up my alley.
The tree types of meat I’m sure must add a lot of intense flavors. The concentrated tomato sauce, is right up my alley.
The tree types of meat I’m sure must add a lot of intense flavors. The concentrated tomato sauce, is right up my alley.
The tree types of meat I’m sure must add a lot of intense flavors. The concentrated tomato sauce, is right up my alley.
The tree types of meat I’m sure must add a lot of intense flavors. The concentrated tomato sauce, is right up my alley.
The tree types of meat I’m sure must add a lot of intense flavors. The concentrated tomato sauce, is right up my alley.
The tree types of meat I’m sure must add a lot of intense flavors. The concentrated tomato sauce, is right up my alley.
The tree types of meat I’m sure must add a lot of intense flavors. The concentrated tomato sauce, is right up my alley.
The tree types of meat I’m sure must add a lot of intense flavors. The concentrated tomato sauce, is right up my alley.
That looks great! Btw, I making your eggplant Parmesan tonight!
You’re bound to get some interesting visitors via search with the title of that post! LOL
Looks truly comforting!
What size can of tomatoes did you use for your eggplant Parmesan? Im making it tonight, and im not sure.
Jesse, I used the 28oz. can of plum tomatoes.
Your balls look succulent.
Those meatballs looks insanely good. I must try them.
Great photos and food. You’ve got some chops!
The rich red tomato sauce does look XXX-tra delish. I think I could even wait for dessert with a sauce like that.
This looks like great hearty winter fare. As for Rocco, don’t get me started! I worked with him once-what a ridiculous ego.
I think God will forgive you eating something as good as this.
So after a day of standing on my feet, cooking like an idiot, washing more dishes than I care to tell you, I’m now sitting for the first time at 11:30 p.m. and waiting for a service of spaghetti and meatballs….like pronto!!! Did that sound kind of demanding? :)
Marie, thanks…I think I got the Italian flavah to it!
Ben, it’s a comfort food, indeed.
White rice duo, I kid about the video…there’s no Meg Ryan-type orgasms from Nikki the hen.
Sam, it’s one of my fave pasta dishes.
Nina, the key is the thick sauce.
Jesse, how did the eggplant turn out?
Emi, why thank you for complementing me on my balls! ;)
Angela, thank you and welcome!
Cake, the zeppole was divine!
Aimee, you did? Blog or email me how it was working with him, it would be interesting.
Glam, I’m already doomed to damnation.
Giz, anytime but I don’t arrive uninvited. ;)
Like-minded dinners indeed! It looks delicious and just goes to show how the simplest of dishes can become something special and extra tasty. That Zeppole looks pretty damn good, too!
Like-minded dinners indeed! It looks delicious and just goes to show how the simplest of dishes can become something special and extra tasty. That Zeppole looks pretty damn good, too!
He, he, Buen provecho, Peter! Isn’t it nice to be sinful sometimes?
My meatballs are only pork meat… they are tastier and more juicy :D
Wow, what’s the dessert there at the bottom, with all the fluffy stuff in the middle layer?