Hot Italian Sausage Meatballs With Cavatelli Ragu Recipes

ITALIAN SAUSAGE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a large bowl combine ground sausage, eggs, breadcrumbs, cheese, and garlic. Slowly add the water, a few tablespoons at a time, mixing with your hands until everything is just combined. Don't over mix here or it'll make the meatballs tough. The mixture should be very moist but still hold its shape when rolled into meatballs.
• Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, scoop about one tablespoon of meat into your palms and roll it into a ball. Place the ball on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with all of the meat.
• Place the baking sheet in the oven to bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until they're cooked though.
• Toss with your favorite sauce and serve!

CAVATELLI WITH SAUSAGE AND PEAS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Crumble the sausage into the skillet and add the onion. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the onion is softened, about 8 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high and cook, stirring, until the sausage and onion are lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
• Push the mixture to the sides of the skillet and add the tomato paste in the middle. Cook the tomato paste, stirring, until darkened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the rosemary, then stir the tomato paste into the sausage and onion. Stir in the wine and bring to a simmer. Cook until the wine is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups of the boiling water and bring the sauce to a boil. Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
• While the sauce cooks, add the cavatelli and peas to the remaining boiling water and cook as the cavatelli label directs. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
• Add the cavatelli, peas and parsley to the sauce and bring to a simmer. Toss to coat, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with the cheese and toss. Divide among bowls and top with more cheese.

SAUSAGE RAGù

Steps:

• With the tip of a small, sharp knife, slit open the sausage casings. Crumble the meat into a wide, heavy skillet or Dutch oven and set over medium-low heat. If the meat is not rendering enough fat to coat the bottom of the pan as it begins to cook, add olive oil one tablespoon at a time until the meat is frying gently, not steaming. Sauté, breaking up any large chunks, until all the meat has turned opaque (do not let it brown), about 5 minutes.
• Add onion, carrot, celery and parsley and stir. Drizzle in more oil if the pan seems dry. Cook over very low heat, stirring often, until the vegetables have melted in the fat and are beginning to caramelize, and the meat is toasty brown. This may take as long as 40 minutes, but be patient: It is essential to the final flavors.
• Add tomatoes and their juice, breaking up the tomatoes with your hands or with the side of a spoon. Bring to a simmer, then add thyme and rosemary and let simmer, uncovered, until thickened and pan is almost dry, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Mix tomato paste with 1 cup hot water. Add to pan, reduce heat to very low, and continue cooking until the ragù is velvety and dark red, and the top glistens with oil, about 10 minutes more. Remove herb sprigs. Sprinkle black pepper over, stir and taste.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil pasta until just tender. Scoop out 2 cups cooking water, drain pasta and return to pot over low heat. Quickly add a ladleful of ragù, a splash of cooking water, stir well and let cook 1 minute. Taste for doneness. Repeat, adding more cooking water or ragù, or both, until pasta is cooked through and seasoned to your liking.
• Pour hot pasta water into a large serving bowl to heat it. Pour out the water and pour in the pasta. Top with remaining ragù, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately. Pass grated cheese at the table, if desired.

CAVATELLI WITH FENNEL SAUSAGE, BROWN BUTTER AND CRISPY SAGE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then the sausage in batches, if necessary, to avoid overcrowding the skillet. Cook until the sausage is fully cooked, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the sausage to a plate and return the skillet to the heat.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta.
• Meanwhile, add the butter and the chopped sage to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the butter is browned and smells nutty. Pour in the wine and cook until the alcohol has cooked off, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes. Return the sausage to the skillet, add the pasta and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and fried sage leaves and serve immediately.
• Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together with your hands until well combined. Gently roll the mixture into 1 inch balls and set aside on a rimmed baking sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate until ready to use, for up to 4 days.

ITALIAN RAGU WITH MEATBALLS AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• In a large sauce pot (8-quart size minimum), heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil on a very low flame. Add the diced onion and cook slowly until it has turned translucent. Do not brown the onion, but allow it to almost melt away. Add the garlic cloves and very lightly cook them in the oil until golden before adding the tomatoes and all their juices. Add salt and pepper to taste, and the basil leaves and set the heat on low. Allow the tomatoes to cook at very low heat for at least 2 hours before adding the meat.
• Make the meatballs: mix the ground beef and veal together in a large bowl. Combine the bread and milk and mash together to form a paste; add the bread to the ground meat. Add the eggs, garlic, parsley, cheese, salt, and pepper to the meat mixture and combine all the ingredients using your fingers to mix uniformly, but do not over mix or the meat will dry out when cooked. Pick up 2 tablespoons of the mixture and roll it into a ball shape, between the palms of your hands. Do this until you have used all the meat. This should yield approximately 24 meatballs.
• Place the remaining olive oil in a heavy skillet and heat over medium flame. Add the meatballs in 1 layer and brown on all sides before removing. Do this to the remaining meatballs until all are browned to a caramelized color. After all the meatballs have been browned and removed from the skillet, add the sausage links and brown well, following the same method as the meatballs. When all the meat has cooked, add to the tomato ragu, which has been cooking for 2 hours and cook an additional hour. Serve the tomato ragu over rigatoni pasta cooked to manufacturer's directions. Serve the meats on another plate as a second course.

MOM'S SUNDAY DINNER: ITALIAN RAGU WITH MEATBALLS AND ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• 1. In a large sauce pot (8-quart size minimum), heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil on a very low flame. Add the diced onion and cook slowly until it has turned translucent. Do not brown the onion, but allow it to almost melt away. Add the garlic cloves and very lightly cook them in the oil until golden before adding the tomatoes and all their juices. Add salt and pepper to taste, and the basil leaves and set the heat on low. Allow the tomatoes to cook at very low heat for at least 2 hours before adding the meat.
• 2. Make the meatballs: mix the ground beef and veal together in a large bowl. Combine the bread and milk and mash together to form a paste; add the bread to the ground meat. Add the eggs, garlic, parsley, cheese, salt, and pepper to the meat mixture and combine all the ingredients using your fingers to mix uniformly, but do not over mix or the meat will dry out when cooked. Pick up 2 tablespoons of the mixture and roll it into a ball shape, between the palms of your hands. Do this until you have used all the meat. This should yield approximately 24 meatballs.
• 3. Place the remaining olive oil in a heavy skillet and heat over medium flame. Add the meatballs in 1 layer and brown on all sides before removing. Do this to the remaining meatballs until all are browned to a caramelized color. After all the meatballs have been browned and removed from the skillet, add the sausage links and brown well, following the same method as the meatballs. When all the meat has cooked, add to the tomato ragu, which has been cooking for 2 hours and cook an additional hour. Serve the tomato ragu over rigatoni pasta cooked to directions on box. Serve the meats on another plate as a second course or with the pasta. (We always couldn't wait til the second course!)
• 4. NOTE: If using plum tomatoes, make sure using a wooden spoon while cooking, you break up the tomatoes. You can also freeze this in batches and use when needed.
• 5. You can make this sauce your own by adding what herbs you like. Oregano or Basil, All Beef Meatballs if you prefer. My mom did all the combinations. MANGIA!

HOT ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Put the pork in a bowl and add all remaining ingredients. Mix well to distribute the seasoning evenly throughout the meat.
• Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for future use.

BAKED CAVATELLI

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; set aside.
• In a large skillet cook the sausage, onion, and garlic until sausage is brown; remove from skillet. Drain.
• In a large bowl stir together pasta sauce, 3/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese, and the pepper. Add the cooked pasta and the drained sausage mixture. Stir gently to combine. Spoon the mixture into a 2-quart casserole.*.
• Bake, covered, in a 375°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until nearly heated through. Uncover; sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake about 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted.
• My card says it feeds 5 to 6, and I say a family of four -- and a sad ol'doggie -- for licking the casserole dish clean -- .

HOT ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Place the ground pork into a large bowl. Season with salt, garlic salt, black pepper and paprika. In a blender or food processor, blend together the oil, anise seed, fennel seed and red pepper flakes. Mix everything into the ground pork until well blended. Refrigerate for 24 hours to let flavors blend. Bag and freeze in portions that suit your needs.

HOT SAUSAGE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• blend the sausage and bisquick together.
• mix well with your hands.
• add the shredded cheddar cheese.
• mix well again with your hands (it's easier).
• shape into 1-2" balls.
• spray baking pan with vegetable spray.
• bake in 350 degrees oven for 10-15 minutes.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Put all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
• Mix together throughly.
• Using the palm of your hands. Roll into a ball shape. About one inch diameter.
• Place oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
• Place meatballs in hot oils.
• Move them around continuously to ensure that they do not burn, and are throughly cooked.
• Cook for 5 to 7 minutes (golden brown).
• Remove from oil and sit on paper towel to absorb any oil.
• Add to your favorite sauce.

HEARTY ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND MEATBALL STEW #RAGU

Steps:

• Place a 4-5 quart Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the olive oil, onion, green pepper, zucchini and salt. Mix well. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring often, until just heated through. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning. Mix well. Add the Ragu sauce, beef broth, garbanzo beans, black beans and diced tomatoes. Mix well and bring to a simmer. Add the pasta and cook until pasta is al dente. Add the sausage and meatballs. Mix well and bring to a simmer to heat through.
• Top each individual serving with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

HOT ITALIAN SAUSAGE MEATBALLS WITH CAVATELLI #RAGU

Steps:

• Meatballs: In a bowl mix together, sausage, crumbs, cheese, egg, water, parsley, onion. Mix and form into balls, 1 1/2 inches. Coat in crumbs Yields 16 balls. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 - 35 minutes.
• Pasta: Cook as directed on package. Drained and added 1 tablespoon of butter.
• Sauce: In a large sauce pan, empty jar of sauce and add Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, dried basil, and honey. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
• Add cavitelli and meatballs to sauce and simmer for 15-20 minutes until heated through.