Spaghetti Con Polpette Recipe

Soak breadcrumbs

Place the fresh breadcrumbs in a small bowl and pour the whole milk over them. Let sit 5 minutes until the crumbs absorb the milk.

Mix meatball mixture

In a large bowl combine the ground meat, soaked breadcrumbs (include any unabsorbed milk), egg, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, chopped parsley, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently with your hands or a fork until just combined — avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender.

Portion

Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, portion the mixture into 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inch meatballs (yields about 18–20). Roll each portion gently between your palms to form smooth balls; avoid compacting them too much.

Brown meatballs

Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in a single layer without crowding (work in batches). Brown on all sides, turning carefully with tongs, about 6–8 minutes total. They should be nicely browned but not fully cooked through. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate and set aside.

Sweat aromatics

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or deep skillet, heat 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the sliced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.

Build sauce

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute to caramelize slightly. Add the crushed tomatoes, dried Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper to taste, and sugar if using. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.

Simmer with meatballs

Carefully nestle the browned meatballs into the simmering sauce. Reduce heat to low so the sauce maintains a gentle simmer. Cover partially and cook 20–25 minutes, turning meatballs once halfway through to cook evenly, until meatballs are cooked through (internal temp 160°F/71°C) and sauce has slightly thickened.

Finish

Stir in the torn fresh basil into the sauce during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or a pinch more sugar if needed.

Cook spaghetti

While the sauce simmers with the meatballs, bring 6 cups water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 1 tbs kosher salt and optional 1 tsp olive oil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions until al dente (usually 8–10 minutes), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Reserve pasta water

Just before draining, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water. Drain the spaghetti.

Finish pasta with sauce

Add drained spaghetti to the pan with the sauce and meatballs (if pan is large enough) or return spaghetti to the pot and ladle sauce and meatballs over it. Toss gently to combine, adding splashes of reserved pasta water as needed to loosen and coat the pasta, usually 2–4 tbs. Cook together 1–2 minutes so flavors marry.

Twist portions of spaghetti onto plates, placing 3–4 meatballs per serving on top or nestled through the pasta. Spoon extra sauce over each portion.

Top with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a few torn basil leaves, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes if using. Serve immediately.