SPAGHETTI WITH MEATBALLS AND GARLIC BREAD

Steps:

• Cook the sauce: Put the olive oil and sliced garlic into a heavy sauce pot or broad sauté pan. Turn the heat to medium-high.
• Cook gently until the garlic becomes colored a light gold, then add the creole seasoning (do not omit this), and stir, once or twice.
• Stir in the tomato paste, turn the heat down, and break up well with a metal whisk.
• Add no salt, add pepper, if desired.
• Put in the two (or three) tablespoons red wine, and reduce a little. Then add the broth, water, and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, stirring every so often, and cook gently for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
• Make the meatballs: Put the egg, egg yolk, salt, pepper, to taste, the nutmeg and all the herbs into the bowl of a food processor. Grate in the cheese. Purée. Set aside.
• Remove the soft white crumb from both sides of the split baguette. Measure 1/2 cup of it, save the remainder for another purpose, or discard.
• Put into a bowl with the milk, squeeze between the fingers until it is well broken up.
• Add to the food processor with the wet ingredients, and pulse to well combine.
• Empty the contents of this into a bowl with the crumbled meat. Work to a paste, adding some chopped fresh parsley.
• Form into 12 meatballs, and place evenly on a foil lined, sprayed sheet pan.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Remove, add to sauce, using a spatula to loosen balls, if necessary.
• Keep oven on.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil to cook pasta.
• Combine olive oil and garlic powder to taste (1/2-1 teaspoon), brush on both sides of cut baguette.
• Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan cheese, a pinch of salt and pepper, and chopped parsley if desired.
• The bread needs to bake for 10 minutes, add it to the oven, on a sheet pan, to bake, when dropping the pasta.
• Return the pan of sauce to the stove and bring to a gentle simmer, covered, simmer till done, but less than 10 minutes.
• Drop the pasta into boiling salted water, cooking till al dente.
• Retrieve the meatballs to a plate with tongs. Reserve a little of the pasta cooking water.
• Drain the pasta, toss with the tablespoon of butter, if using, a handful or two of grated Parmesan cheese, and adding about 2 cups of the sauce. Thin lightly with cooking water if nessecary.
• Cut the garlic toast into pieces. Place pasta on warm plates, topping each with three meatballs, and sprinkle each serving with more grated Parm.
• Serve at once with garlic bread on the side, and if desired, any additional sauce.