2 slices white bread, hearty, crusts removed, torn in 1/2 ( 1 1/4 cm) in pieces
10 tablespoons heavy cream
½ cup grated parmesan cheese (55 g)
2 tablespoons onion, grated
2 tablespoons garlic, grated
pepper, to taste
1 lb ground pork (455 g)
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 lb 85% lean ground beef (455 g)
1 tablespoon McCormick® Savory Spice Blend
olive oil, to taste
For Serving
1 lb spaghetti (455 g), dried
kosher salt, to taste
parmesan cheese, a chunk
¼ cup fresh basil (10 g), chopped
Nutrition Info
Calories 722
Fat 39g
Carbs 52g
Fiber 5g
Sugar 8g
Protein 41g
How to Make It
1. Step
Make the sauce: In a large pot over medium-low heat, combine the olive oil and garlic and cook until the garlic begins to sizzle very gently. Add the red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic just begins to turn light golden in color, about 3 minutes. Add the Savory spice blend and continue to cook, stirring, for 1 minute more.
2. Step
Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the paste has softened and blended with the oil and garlic mixture, about 3 minutes.
3. Step
Stir in the tomatoes and their juices and increase the heat to medium-high, bringing the to a gentle simmer. Lower the heat a bit if it’s bubbling and spitting too much. Remove the sauce from the heat.
4. Step
Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce until smooth. Tip: Drape a kitchen towel over the pot to act as a cover from sauce splatters. Or, transfer the sauce to a blender and puree, then return to the pot.
5. Step
Decrease the heat to medium-low and bring the sauce to a simmer.
6. Step
Make the meatballs: In a medium bowl, combine the bread cubes, cream, parmesan, onion, garlic, and pepper. Using a fork, mash into thick paste.
7. Step
In a large bowl, gently mix the ground pork with the salt and baking powder. Add the beef and gently stir to combine (you can also use your hands for this). Add the bread mixture, Savory spice blend, and a pinch more salt and pepper and mix until just incorporated. Rub a bit of olive oil on your hands and form the mixture into smooth, round meatballs the size of golf balls--you should have about 25 total..
8. Step
Once the meatballs are formed, gently lower each meatball into the pot of sauce. Bring to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 25-35 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into a meatball reaches 165˚F (75˚C).
9. Step
While the meatballs are cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of pasta cooking water, then drain.
10. Step
In a large bowl, toss the spaghetti with a few large spoonfuls of pasta sauce to coat, along with a few splashes of the reserved cooking water. Divide the pasta among bowls and spoon more sauce and meatballs over the pasta. Top each serving with freshly grated Parmesan and basil.
