Jul 14 2026
RestaurantsTrattoria PolipoTraditional Spaghetti Recipe

Traditional Spaghetti Recipe

Inspired by Trattoria Polipo
Time1h
Serves4

Pomodoro Sauce, Shaved Parmesan, Meatballs, Italian Sausage or Sunday Gravy (Meatballs and Sausage)

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Pomodoro Sauce

Spaghetti

Method

Pomodoro Sauce

  1. 1

    Prepare the Sauce

    In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.

  2. 2

    Add Tomatoes

    Crush the canned tomatoes by hand or with a spoon and add them to the saucepan along with their juices.

  3. 3

    Season the Sauce

    Stir in the fresh basil, salt, and black pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer and let it cook for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meatballs

  1. 4

    Mix Ingredients

    In a large bowl, combine ground beef, Italian sausage, bread crumbs, grated Parmesan, egg, parsley, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.

  2. 5

    Form Meatballs

    Shape the mixture into meatballs, about 1.5 inches in diameter.

  3. 6

    Cook Meatballs

    In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the meatballs on all sides. Once browned, transfer them to the simmering Pomodoro sauce and cook for an additional 20 minutes, or until cooked through.

Spaghetti

  1. 7

    Cook the Spaghetti

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and reserve a bit of pasta water.

  2. 8

    Combine with Sauce

    Add the cooked spaghetti to the Pomodoro sauce with meatballs. Toss gently to coat the pasta with the sauce, adding reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.

Garnish

  1. 9

    Serve the Dish

    Plate the spaghetti and meatballs, then top with shaved Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Serve immediately.

More from Trattoria Polipo