Italian Combo Recipe

sauté aromatics

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 tbs olive oil. When oil shimmers, add the diced onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown.

build sauce

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, dried basil, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine.

simmer

Bring sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 20–25 minutes to deepen flavors. If the sauce becomes too thick, stir in up to 1/4 cup water to reach desired consistency.

finish

Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in torn fresh basil leaves off the heat. Keep warm while preparing meatballs and pasta.

prepare binding mixture

In a small bowl combine breadcrumbs and milk; let sit 3–5 minutes until breadcrumbs soak the milk.

mix meatball ingredients

In a large bowl combine ground beef, ground pork, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, grated Parmesan, chopped parsley, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Use your hands or a fork to mix gently until combined — do not overwork, about 20–30 seconds of mixing.

shape

Portion the mixture into roughly 1 1/4–1 1/2 inch meatballs (about 1.5 oz each) and place on a tray. This should yield about 18–22 meatballs depending on exact size.

sear

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tbs olive oil. When oil is hot, add meatballs in a single layer without crowding (work in batches). Sear, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 6–8 minutes total per batch.

finish in sauce

Transfer seared meatballs to the simmering marinara sauce. Nestle them into the sauce, cover partially, and simmer gently for 12–15 minutes until cooked through (internal temp 160°F/71°C). Keep warm.

cook pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1 tbsp salt. Add spaghetti or linguine and cook according to package directions until just al dente (usually 8–10 minutes for dried pasta). Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water and drain the pasta.

toss with sauce

Return the drained pasta to the pot or a large skillet set over low heat. Add about 1 1/2 cups warm marinara (or more to coat), 1 tsp olive oil, and 1/4–1/2 cup reserved pasta water as needed. Toss gently until pasta is evenly coated and saucy. Adjust seasoning. Transfer to serving plates and top with meatballs, extra sauce, grated Parmesan and chopped basil or parsley.

prepare garlic butter

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the baguette in half lengthwise. In a bowl, mix softened butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, grated Parmesan (optional), and 1/4 tsp salt until well combined.

assemble and bake

Spread the garlic butter evenly over the cut sides of the baguette. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 8–10 minutes until butter is bubbly and edges are golden. For a crisp top, finish under the broiler 1–2 minutes—watch closely to avoid burning. Slice and serve warm.

dress salad

In a small bowl or jar whisk together 2 tbs olive oil, 1 tbs red wine vinegar, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.

assemble

In a large bowl toss mixed greens, halved cherry tomatoes and sliced red onion with the dressing just before serving.

Divide the sauced pasta among 4 plates, arrange 4–5 meatballs per plate on top, spoon additional marinara over the meatballs, add a generous sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan and torn basil or parsley. Serve garlic bread and the salad family-style on the side.