Counter 11 · Meatballs & Mince
Spaghetti and Meatballs with Garlic Bread
Italian-American Sunday dinner in under an hour: ricotta-enriched beef meatballs simmered in marinara, served over spaghetti with buttery garlic bread on the side.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Easy
The secret weapon in these meatballs is whole-milk ricotta. It replaces most of the breadcrumbs and keeps the texture creamy and light, even if someone forgets them on the stove a little too long. Brown them in a skillet first, then let them finish in the sauce, where they give up their fat and flavor to the marinara. The garlic bread is not an afterthought: mash raw garlic into softened butter with parsley, and broil until the edges go dark and crackly.
Method
-
Combine the beef, ricotta, breadcrumbs, half the parmesan, egg and 1 tsp salt. Roll 12 meatballs about 2 inches across.
-
Heat the olive oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Brown the meatballs on two sides, 3 minutes per side, then move them to a plate.
-
Pour off all but 2 tbsp fat. Slice 3 garlic cloves and sizzle them in the pan for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes and remaining salt.
-
Return the meatballs, cover, and simmer on medium-low for 20 minutes, until they read 160 F.
-
Heat the broiler. Mash the remaining garlic into the butter, spread it over the cut bread and broil 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely, until golden with dark edges.
-
Cook the spaghetti in salted water until al dente, drain, and toss with a few ladles of sauce.
-
Plate the spaghetti, top with meatballs and more sauce, finish with the remaining parmesan and slice the garlic bread alongside.
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