Somebody Touch-a My Spaghett... and Meatballs!

Three of you will get that joke, and for me, that's enough

Hey everybody, happy Monday. I hope everyone is doing well today. There’s a lot going on in the outside world and I can feel the pressure creeping in. Autumn is coming. Here in Ontario, that usually means about a week and a half of gorgeous fall weather, then a violent e-brake turn into winter. I wanted to turn a blind eye to all of that this weekend and make some comfort food.

What could rank higher on the comfort scale (that I haven’t already blogged about) than spaghetti and meatballs? It’s a true childhood dish. Whenever I think of it, I picture a great big cartoon plate. Maybe with two dogs. In an alley. You know what I’m saying.

In hopes of having my own romantic dinner, I decided that Sunday night would be spaghetti and meatballs night. Liz is just as fond of this old dish as I am, and I wanted to impress. Actually, truth be told, she’s fonder of it. Cue roundabout story:

As you may or may not know, I’ve got my own food show on Gusto TV: Zach Kinda Cooks. Season 2 is about to premiere on October 22nd, so if you wanna catch that, here’s a list of platforms that carry the channel, and here’s a link to download the app so you can catch it whenever, wherever.

Anyways, in an upcoming episode this season, I actually make this dish on air and tell the story that one day, Liz was having a rough go with work and I wanted to make something nice for her. She asks for spaghetti and meatballs, and I immediately go into full snooty chef mode saying stuff like “Um, you know that’s not even an authentic Italian dish? Like nobody in Italy would ever eat meatballs with their spaghetti.”

And in her infinite patience and wisdom, Liz responds by saying “Hey bozo, I don’t care about any of that. Are you gonna make spaghetti and meatballs or not?”

So, off I went to make the best dish I could muster for her. If the history of spaghetti and meatballs, the Italian vs Italian-American debate is something that interests you, start here. Otherwise, off to the kitchen!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 454g (1lb.) ground beef

• 454g (1lb.) ground pork

• 18g (1 tbsp) Kosher salt, plus more to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 118mL (1/2 cup) 35% cream

• 1 packet powdered gelatin

• 4 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed

• 4-6 anchovy fillets, mashed into paste with a fork

• 10mL (2 tsp) soy sauce

• 2 eggs

• 113g (4oz.) Parmesan cheese, grated

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced

• 5-6 sprigs thyme, leaves only, finely chopped

• 4-5 sprigs Italian parsley, leaves only, finely chopped

• 2 medium white onions, peeled and finely diced

• 14g (1 tbsp) butter

• 2g (2 tsp) dried oregano

• 2g (2 tsp) red pepper flakes

• 2x 398mL cans finely chopped tomatoes (I prefer Mutti)

• As much spaghetti as you wanna eat

• Parmesan cheese, grated on a Microplane, to garnish

Method:

1. In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, ground pork and salt until well combined. Leave at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. Pour the cream into a medium sized bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over top of the cream, let bloom for 10 minutes. Add the bread, coating well to soak. Let the bread absorb the cream and gelatin for 10 minutes. Mix again into a slurry (called a panade)

3. To the meat mixture, add the anchovy paste, soy sauce, eggs, cheese, garlic, thyme, parsley and panade. Mix well, until everything is incorporated, then scoop a teaspoon-sized chunk of the mix onto a microwave safe plate. Microwave on high for 15-20 seconds and taste for seasoning, adding more salt and black pepper to taste.

4. Roll the mixture out into balls of your desired size. Place the balls on a parchment-lined tray or plate, reserving about 110-115g (roughly 4oz.) for the sauce, and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

5. Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven, heat a film of canola oil over high heat. Smash the reserved meatball mix onto the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon, allowing it to cook and form a crust, 3-4 minutes. Break it up with the wooden spoon, then add the butter and onions, reducing the heat to medium-low. Allow the onions to soften and turn translucent, about 7-10 minutes. Stir often, using a few drops of water if needed to deglaze the pan.

6. Add the oregano and pepper flakes. Stir to combine, then add the tomatoes, filling up each can with water and adding said water, too. Bring to a simmer, and let reduce and thicken for 1 hour. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Hold the sauce warm over a low back burner.

7. Heat a film of canola oil in a cast-iron pan over high heat. Sear the meatballs in batches, trying to get a good crust on them, 2-3 minutes per side. Don’t overcrowd the pan. If you’d rather bake them, pop the tray into a pre-heated 400°F oven for 15-20 minutes. Whether seared or baked, place the meatballs into the warm sauce, and carefully stir to combine, so not to break the balls.

8. Heat a large pot of well-salted water over high heat. Add your desired amount of spaghetti and cook al dente, usually about 7-8 minutes. Before draining, stir a large ladle or so of pasta water into the sauce. Drain the pasta, toss in olive oil, then toss with the sauce and meatballs, garnishing with grated Parm.

That’s amoré on a plate, right there. Home cooking is about serving food made with love to people you love. So, don’t let your self get bogged down with what is or isn’t an authentic dish, or what celebrity chef X says you should or shouldn’t do. Besides me, of course. You should always listen to me.

Anyways, what’s your favorite comfort dish? Ever make something for someone you didn’t think you’d love, but it became one of your favourites? I’d love to hear about it. Shoot me an e-mail or leave a comment down below! See you all next time!