Rigatoni And Meatballs Recipes

RIGATONI AND MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Place the bread on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes in a 200 degrees F oven, or until totally dry.
• Break the bread into chunks . . .
• And pulse [in food processor] until the bread turns into crumbs.
• Throw the meat into a large mixing bowl.
• Add the garlic, bread crumbs, eggs, parsley, grated Parmesan, milk, salt, and pepper. Use clean hands to mix together until well combined.
• Use a scoop to retrieve a small amount of the meat mixture . . . And roll it in your hands to make meatballs (about 25). Place the pan in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes, just to firm them up.
• Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Working with 8 to 10 meatballs at a time, cook them until brown but not cooked all the way through, 2 to 3 minutes per batch.
• Remove from the pan to a plate while you make the rigatoni and sauce.
• Add the onion and garlic to the pan. Stir and cook for a minute or two, until the onion begins to soften.
• Add the wine and cook for another minute. (Just omit this step if you're not using wine.)
• Add the crushed tomatoes...whole tomatoes... salt, pepper, and sugar . . . And parsley and basil.
• Stir the sauce to combine all the ingredients . . . Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Then throw in the meat-a-balls!
• Stir gently, then cover and cook for 20 more minutes, stirring once or twice, until the meatballs are cooked through.
• Heap the rigatoni on a large platter and pile the meatballs and sauce on the top. Sprinkle on some extra minced parsley and serve with extra grated Parmesan.
• This is a good one, my friends.
• I mean . . . i miei amici.
• Sincerely,
• Costanza

BEEF MEATBALLS AND SAUCE WITH RIGATONI

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil.
• Make the sauce: In a large wide, saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are tender, 10 to 15 minutes, and then add the plum tomatoes, sugar, and oregano. Stir to blend and then pour in the canned tomatoes and their juices. Cook, stirring from time to time, until it comes to a simmer, about 5 minutes, to allow the ingredients to meld together. Taste for seasoning. Lower the heat and let the sauce continue to cook as you make the meatballs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Make the meatballs: Put the beef in a large bowl and spread it all over the bottom of the bowl and up the sides a little. This will help you to distribute the seasoning evenly over the meat. Sprinkle the meat with the salt and add the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Use your hands to mix all of the ingredients together. Work in 1 of the eggs with your hands. Roll 1 small ball (about 11/2 to 2 inches in diameter).
• Taste test: In a small skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the canola oil over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, shut off the heat (to avoid splattering), and add the meatball. Put the heat back on high and brown on all sides for a few minutes until cooked but still pink in the middle. Taste for seasoning and texture. If too moist, add more bread crumbs. If too dry, add another beaten egg or a splash of water. Adjust the salt and red pepper flakes, if needed, as well. Roll the remaining meat into 11/2-inch diameter meatballs; you should have about 20.
• Cook the meatballs: Heat a large skillet over high heat and add the remaining canola oil. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, shut off the heat and add the meatballs in a single layer, spreading them apart somewhat so they have a chance to brown instead of steaming. Put the heat back on high and turn the meatballs to brown them on all sides. Cook to medium-rare, 3 to 5 minutes. Squeeze the sides of 2 meatballs between your thumb and index finger to make sure they are still tender in the center. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to remove them from the pan and transfer them to a tray lined with a kitchen towel to drain any excess grease.
• Cook the pasta: Season the boiling water with salt until it tastes like seawater. Bring the water back up to a boil. Add the pasta to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally with a slotted spoon to make sure it doesn't clump or stick to the bottom as it cooks, until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
• Serve the meatballs: Meanwhile, once you drop the pasta in the water, add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer over very low heat, 3 to 5 minutes. Shut off the heat and allow the sauce and meat to rest as your pasta finishes cooking. Pour off any excess grease in the skillet used to brown the meatballs, add a ladle of sauce, and warm the pan over low heat. Stir to catch any browned bits of meat in the skillet. After a few minutes, pour that sauce back in with the rest. Stir in a little of the reserved pasta cooking liquid if needed to thin. Transfer the sauce and meatballs to a large bowl and toss in half of the cooked pasta. Add about 3/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Stir in the remaining pasta. Serve with the remaining cheese in a bowl on the side.

BAKED RIGATONI WITH MEATBALLS AND PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until very al dente, 2 to 3 minutes less than the label directs; drain.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is golden. Crush the plum tomatoes into the skillet with your hands; rinse out each can with 1/2 cup water and add the water to the skillet. Add the basil; simmer, uncovered, until the sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes. Discard the basil; season the sauce with salt. (Alternatively, heat 4 cups prepared tomato sauce.)
• Stir the pancetta into the sauce, then add the meatballs, roasted red peppers and olives.
• Brush a 3-to-4-quart baking dish with olive oil. Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce and half of each cheese. Spread in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the pasta. Bake, uncovered, until browned, about 15 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.

RIGATONI AND MEATBALLS

Steps:

• For the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Place the bread on a baking sheet. Bake until totally dry, about 30 minutes.
• Break the bread into chunks. Pulse in a food processor until the bread turns into crumbs. Throw in the meat into a large mixing bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, milk, parsley, garlic, eggs, salt and some pepper. Use clean hands to mix together until well combined.
• Use a scoop to retrieve a small amount of the meat mixture, and roll it in your hands to make meatballs (about 25). Place on a pan and put the pan in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes, just to firm them up.
• Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Working with 8 to 10 meatballs at a time, cook them until brown but not cooked all the way through, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Remove from the pot to a plate while you make the sauce.
• For the sauce: Add the garlic and onions to the meatball pot. Stir and cook until the onion begins to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook for another minute. (Just omit this step if you're not using wine.) Add the crushed tomatoes, whole tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir the sauce to combine all the ingredients. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If sauce needs more liquid, just add in a little water. Then throw in the parsley, basil and the meat-a-balls! Stir gently, then cover and cook for 20 more minutes, stirring once or twice until the meatballs are cooked through.
• Heap the rigatoni on a large platter and pile the meatballs and sauce on the top. Sprinkle on some extra minced parsley and serve with extra grated Parmesan.

MEATBALLS WITH RIGATONI

Steps:

• Place bread in a bowl; pour milk over it. In another bowl, mix veal and pork. Add onion, garlic, zest, and parsley. Add salt and pepper. Mash bread mixture to form paste; add to meat mixture. Mix; add egg. Combine well. Cover with plastic wrap; chill 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Form mixture into 12 to 16 1 1/2-inch balls. Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute half the meatballs until brown, a few minutes on each side. Transfer to a pan big enough to hold all the meatballs. Repeat with remaining oil and meatballs. Place in oven to finish cooking, about 20 minutes.
• Cook rigatoni according to package directions. Toss meatballs in tomato sauce; serve with grated Parmesan over rigatoni.

RIGATONI AND MEATBALLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine ground beef and pork, parsley, Parmesan, eggs, breadcrumbs, milk, and salt. Form into 1 1/2-inch balls.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 6-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add half the meatballs; cook, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and meatballs.
• Add white wine to same pan; deglaze by stirring up browned bits from bottom with a wooden spoon. Reduce wine by half, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and meatballs; bring to a simmer. Reduce to medium-low; cook, uncovered, 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper. Using a slotted spoon, transfer meatballs to a serving dish. Toss pasta in sauce; serve in a separate dish.

BAKED RIGATONI WITH MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Meatballs:
• In bowl, beat egg lightly; mix in onion, crumbs, garlic, Parmesan, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix in turkey. Shape heaping tablespoonfuls into balls.
• In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook meatballs, in batches if necessary, for 8-10 minutes or until browned on all sides. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate.
• Add onion, garlic, mushrooms, green pepper, basil, sugar, oregano, salt, pepper and 2 tb water to skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Stir in tomatoes and tomato paste; bring to boil. Add meatballs; reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until slightly thickened.
• Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling salted water, cook rigatoni for about 8 minutes or until pasta is tender but firm. Drain and return to pot; add tomato sauce, stirring to coat rigatoni.
• Transfer to 11x7-inch baking dish or 8-cup shallow oven casserole. Sprinkle mozzarella (use part-skim mozzarella), then Parmesan evenly over top.
• Bake in 400ºF oven for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and top is golden.