Pasta With Green Meatballs From The Nytimes Recipes

Steps:

• Mix together the basil, parsley and chives. Soak the bread in the milk for 5 minutes, then gently squeeze any excess milk from the bread; discard the milk. Combine the bread with the meat, 1 cup of the herbs and some salt and pepper; shape the mixture into 1-inch meatballs.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the meatballs in a single layer (work in batches if necessary). Cook, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Cook the pasta in the boiling water until tender but not mushy. While the pasta is cooking, purée 11/2 cups of the herbs with 4 tablespoons oil, the garlic and some salt and pepper in a mini food processor or blender; leave the sauce rough or add a little water if you want it smoother. Drain the pasta, reserving about a cup of its cooking liquid. Toss the pasta with the herb sauce and most of the remaining herbs, adding the reserved liquid if the mixture seems dry. Top with the meatballs, garnish with Parmesan and the last of the herbs and serve.

Steps:

• Begin heating a large pot of water for the pasta. Meanwhile, combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the sliced garlic over medium-low heat in a medium saucepan or skillet. Cook, stirring often, until the garlic turns golden, about two minutes. Do not let it take on any more color than this. Remove the garlic slices with a slotted spoon and discard, then add the bread crumbs to the pan. Turn the heat to medium, and cook, stirring, until the bread crumbs are crisp. Remove from the heat, and set aside.
• Return the pan to medium heat, and add the remaining olive oil, the red pepper flakes and the minced garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds until the garlic smells fragrant, and add the tomatoes, capers and olives. Bring to a simmer, and simmer until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the spaghetti. Cook al dente, following the cooking recommendations on the package but checking about a minute before the suggested time. Drain, and toss with the tomato sauce. Sprinkle the bread crumbs and parsley on top, toss again briefly and serve, passing the Parmesan at the table.

Steps:

• Bring a stockpot of water to a boil and salt it. Put the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Put the ground beef in a medium bowl. Grate the cheese, put 1 cup over the meat and reserve the rest, about 1/2 cup. Chop 1/2 cup of parsley and add all but 2 tablespoons to the meat mixture; save the rest of the parsley for another use. Add the bread crumbs, crack in the egg, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Gently mix until everything is just combined.
• Raise the heat to medium-high; use 2 teaspoons to drop rounds of the meatball mixture into the skillet without touching one another if you can help it. Adjust the heat so the meatballs sizzle but don't burn and cook undisturbed until they're lightly browned on the bottom, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, trim, peel and chop the onion; scatter it around the meatballs. Peel and mince the garlic and put it on top of the onions.
• When the meatballs are browned on the bottom and the aromatics begin to soften, add the tomatoes to the skillet, along with the bay leaves and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently but steadily, then cover the skillet and cook until the meat cooks through, about 8 minutes. Remove the lid and let the sauce bubble vigorously to thicken for another 5 to 10 minutes, essentially while the pasta cooks. Stir only as needed and carefully if you do.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and stir. Start tasting after 5 minutes. When the pasta is tender but not mushy, drain it, reserving some cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot.
• Move the meatballs to one side of the skillet with a spatula and stir the sauce; taste and adjust the seasoning. Discard the bay leaves and spoon about half the sauce into the pasta pot. Toss the pasta over low heat, adding a splash of cooking water to make it saucier if you like.
• To serve, divide the pasta among 4 plates or bowls; top with the meatballs and the remaining sauce, and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and parsley over the top.

Steps:

• Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs and cream. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then mash the mixture with a fork. Mix in the oregano, pepper flakes, black pepper, salt and bacon. Gently work in the pork, veal and beef. Be careful not to knead it into oblivion, or the meatballs will be tough little pebbles. Fry a little of the mixture in some butter and oil in a skillet and taste, adjusting seasonings. Roll into small meatballs, about an inch across. (If you have a kitchen scale, measure an ounce apiece.)
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large sauté pan, warm the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs, turning every couple of minutes. (Work in batches if they won't all fit in the pan.) Transfer them to a roasting pan big enough to hold them all. Pour 2 cups of cold water into the pan and transfer it to the oven to bake for 20 to 30 minutes or so, until the meatballs are cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
• Boil the spaghetti in a large pot of salted water, and heat the marinara sauce in a pot. When the spaghetti is tender, toss it with the sauce. Season to taste. Put the cheese in a bowl and set it on the table. Make sure to ask your family if they want their meatballs on top of the spaghetti or on the side.

Steps:

• Place 6 slices dried bread in a bowl and cover with warm water. Set aside until bread softens, about 5 minutes.
• In another bowl, combine meat, parsley, garlic, egg, cheese and salt and pepper to taste, using your hands to mix the ingredients. Remove and discard crust from each slice of soaked bread. Squeeze water out of bread and, breaking it into small pieces, add it to meat. Work bread into meat until they are equally combined and mixture holds together like a soft dough. Moisten remaining slices of dried bread and add as needed.
• Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan set over medium- to medium-low heat. Scoop out a tablespoon of meat mixture. Roll between the palms of your hands to form a ball about 3/4 of an inch in diameter. Cook meatball until well browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. (A meatball that sticks to the pan is not ready to be turned.) Taste the meatball, and if needed, adjust seasoning of remaining mixture by adding more garlic, parsley, cheese and salt and pepper. Remaining meatballs should be 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Cook meatballs in small batches. As each batch is completed, remove to a warmed serving plate. Add oil to pan as necessary. Serve when all the meatballs are cooked.

Steps:

• Make the sauce: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, then add the salt pork. Sauté until fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard salt pork. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté just until softened. Add tomatoes with their juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 45 minutes. Add the basil, oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 minute more.
• Make the meatballs: In a mixing bowl, combine the beef, veal and pork. Add the eggs, cheese, parsley and minced garlic, then salt and pepper as desired. Add the bread crumbs and mix well. Slowly add up to 2 cups water, 1/2 cup at a time, until the mixture is moist; all the water may not be needed. Shape into 1 1/2 -inch meatballs.
• Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic and sauté until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes, then discard the garlic. Working in batches and taking care not to crowd the pan, add meatballs and fry until undersides are brown and slightly crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn and brown the other sides, about 5 minutes more. Transfer cooked meatballs to paper towels to drain, then add to the marinara sauce. Mix gently and serve.

Steps:

• Place bread in a large bowl and sprinkle with broth or milk until soaked. Allow to sit 5 minutes, then squeeze out and discard most of the liquid; crumble bread. Add turkey, beef, egg, 1/2 cup parsley, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, salt, pepper, half the onion and a third of the minced garlic. Mix well and form into golf-ball-size balls ( about 24).
• In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Sauté meatballs until browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, set aside.
• In a large saucepan, combine remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, remaining minced onion and remaining minced garlic. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, bring to a simmer, and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes, breaking up tomatoes with a wooden spoon.
• Add meatballs to pan of sauce. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, and cook pasta until al dente. To serve, drain pasta and divide among four to six bowls. Top with meatballs and sauce, and garnish with parsley and Parmesan.

Steps:

• Mix the mince, apple and fennel seeds in a bowl. Divide and roll into 24 cherry tomato-sized balls. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Cook the meatballs until golden brown and cooked through. Heat a large pan of water and cook the pasta following pack instructions.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Set aside a handful of spinach, 4 tbsp peas and half the avocado for later. Pour hot water over the rest of the peas to defrost them, then drain well. Whizz the defrosted peas, spinach, avocado, basil and parmesan in a blender with 100ml pasta water, adding more if needed, to make sauce. Season well.
• Add the reserved frozen peas to the pasta for the last min of cooking. Drain, saving some of the water, and tip the pasta into the meatball pan. Add the sauce and cook for a minute or 2 until hot, adding more seasoning or pasta water if you need to. Serve a salad of spinach and avocado on the side and top the pasta with extra parmesan for adults, if you like.

Steps:

• Mix the grated onion, 1 crushed garlic clove, mince, breadcrumbs, milk, parmesan and parsley in a large bowl. Season well with salt and pepper. Mash the mixture together with your hands until combined. Mould the mix into small balls (about walnut-sized) with damp hands. There will be about 20 meatballs.
• Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a deep frying pan and fry the meatballs for 6-8 mins until golden brown all over. Fry in batches if you need to - they don't need to be cooked through, just browned on the outside. Set aside on a plate.
• Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in the pan and fry the chopped onion for 5 mins until softened. Add the remaining garlic, fry for another minute, then add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for 10 mins until thickened and the tomatoes have broken down. Season well with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta for 5 mins less than the pack instructions state, in boiling salted water. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Stir the meatballs into the tomato sauce, adding a splash of water if too thick, and bring to a simmer. Drain the pasta and tip into an ovenproof dish. Pour over the sauce and meatballs and mix well. Stir in most of the mozzarella, then scatter the remaining over the top. Bake for 15-20 mins until the cheese is golden and bubbling, and the top is slightly crisp.