MADDY'S ROASTED RED PEPPER SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS

Maddy's Roasted Red Pepper Spaghetti and Meatballs image

A sweet and tangy light sauce that compliments savory meatballs. The spaghetti is great on its own as well.

Provided by Maddy HELEINE

Categories Pasta

Time 2h

Number Of Ingredients 25

Ingredients

FOR THE SAUCE
2 large tomatoes seeded
12 oz jar(s) sweet roasted red peppers drained
2 tsp chopped fresh garlic or jarred
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coarse black pepper
1/2 tsp anise seed
1/2 Tbsp fresh basil
1/2 Tbsp fresh oregano
2 Tbsp sliced black olives
5 Tbsp sugar
FOR THE MEATBALLS
1 lb hamburger
1 lb rolled sausage
1 medium sweet white onion finely diced
1 large egg
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
4 slice artisan or white bread finely chopped
1 Tbsp parsley
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 Tbsp coarse black pepper
1/4 c milk
PASTA
1 box barilla spaghetti, or another of your choice.

Steps:

1. Place Seeded tomatoes (to seed them, cut them in quarters and remove seeds with a spoon), roasted red bell peppers, garlic, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, anise seed, basil and oregano in a blender. Blend on low until well mixed, about 3 - 5 minutes.
2. Pour the sauce into a cooking pan, and heat to a simmer. Add the black olives and the sugar in and stir. Simmer for 10 minutes and taste. If you want your sauce slightly sweeter, add a little more sugar a little bit at a time. Allow the sauce to simmer while you make the meatballs.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together lightly using your fingertips until combined. TIP: When making meatballs, meatloaf, hamburgers etc., packing the meat down will lead to less moist and more dense meat, so roll gently!
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a standard ice cream scoop to scoop out the meat mixture onto the paper. Using a scoop creates even-sized meatballs that cook evenly. You can make as many meatballs as you feel you and your dinner companions will eat, or you can make them all at once. I always make just enough meatballs for one serving for Bill and I. The remaining meat mixture can be frozen in zip lock bags in quantities that you choose. The left over sauce can be frozen in the same way. Then when you want spaghetti and meatballs you can simply warm up a bag of the sauce and bake fresh meatballs.
5. Lightly roll each scoop of meat into a ball and place back on the parchment paper. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Open the oven and turn the meatballs over with a small spoon. Bake for another 10 minutes.
6. When baked, placed the meatballs in the sauce and simmer for 15-30minutes with the lid off, until sauce thickens. If you want a thicker sauce, add a little cornstarch. Serve over Al dente spaghetti, and sprinkle with parmesan.