Pasta & Meatballs Recipe

Make meatball mixture

In a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs and milk; let soak 2 minutes. Add ground beef, ground pork, egg, 20 g grated parmesan, chopped parsley, 0.75 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Use your hands to gently mix until just combined — avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender.

Form meatballs

Wet your hands slightly and roll mixture into small meatballs about 25–30 g each (makes roughly 12). Place on a plate or tray.

Cook meatballs

Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs in a single layer without crowding (cook in batches if needed). Cook 8–10 minutes, turning every 2 minutes, until browned on all sides and cooked through (internal temp 71°C/160°F). Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

In the same skillet used for meatballs, remove excess fat leaving about 1 tbs. Add 1 tbs olive oil if skillet is dry. Sauté 1/2 small finely chopped onion over medium heat until soft, 3–4 minutes. Add 1 minced garlic clove and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Pour in 400 g crushed tomatoes, add 0.5 tsp dried oregano, 0.5 tsp sugar, and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Stir, bring to a gentle simmer and cook 8–10 minutes to thicken slightly. Return meatballs to the sauce, spooning sauce over them, and simmer together 3–4 minutes to meld flavors. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

If using butter sauce, melt 30 g butter in a skillet over low heat. Add 50 ml heavy cream (optional) and 1 tbs olive oil. Warm gently until combined, season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Add cooked meatballs to warm through for 1–2 minutes, spooning sauce over them.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tbs salt. Add 250 g tagliatelle and cook according to package instructions until al dente (usually 6–8 minutes for fresh, 8–10 for dried). Reserve 120 ml of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

If using tomato sauce: Add pasta to the skillet with tomato sauce and meatballs. Toss gently, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce and help it coat the pasta (use 1–2 tbs at a time). If using butter sauce: add pasta to the butter sauce and toss to coat, using reserved pasta water as needed.

Divide tagliatelle and meatballs among plates. Sprinkle each serving with about 15 g grated parmesan and garnish with basil or parsley leaves if desired.