Spaghetti Con Polpette Recipe

Make and chill meatball mixture

In a large bowl combine ground beef, grated Parmesan, egg, breadcrumbs, milk, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dried oregano, 1.5 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Mix gently with your hands or a fork until just combined — avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender. Cover and refrigerate 20–30 minutes to firm up for easier shaping.

Shape meatballs

Lightly wet your hands. Portion mixture into approximately 18–20 equal pieces (about 30 g each) and roll into smooth balls. Place on a tray lined with parchment. Keep chilled while you prepare the sauce.

Brown meatballs

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and brown on all sides, about 6–8 minutes total per batch, turning gently so they don’t fall apart. They do not need to be fully cooked through — just well-browned. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate and set aside.

Sweat aromatics

In a large saucepan or deep skillet, warm 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until translucent, 6–8 minutes. Add the sliced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown the garlic.

Build sauce

Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook 1 minute to deepen flavor. Add the canned crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1 teaspoon sugar (if using). Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.

Simmer with meatballs

Carefully add the browned meatballs to the simmering sauce. Reduce heat to low so the sauce barely simmers. Partially cover and cook 18–22 minutes, stirring gently occasionally, until meatballs are cooked through (internal temperature 70–72°C / 160–165°F) and sauce has thickened. Stir in torn basil leaves and red pepper flakes during the last 2 minutes of cooking.

Cook spaghetti

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt. Add 400 g spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente (usually 8–10 minutes). Reserve about 200 ml of the pasta cooking water before draining.

Combine pasta and sauce

Add the drained spaghetti to the pan with the sauce and gently toss to coat over low heat. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until the desired consistency is reached (usually 30–120 ml). Let the pasta finish cooking in the sauce for 1–2 minutes so it absorbs flavor.

Serve

Divide spaghetti among plates, spoon several meatballs and sauce over each portion. Garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and a generous grating of Parmesan. Serve immediately.