Creamy spaghetti and jumbo meatballs with two sauces

Is there anything more comforting than spaghetti and meatballs? My version hits just a little differently. But I promise you, it's everything you want in a bowl of warm comforting pasta.

Creamy spaghetti and jumbo meatballs with two sauces. Credit: Comfort Food With Spencer Watts.

• serves

  2

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 120 g (4 oz) dried spaghetti

Jumbo meatballs

• 450 g (1 lb) beef mince (ground beef)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder

Panade

• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup milk
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ⅓ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground pepper

Red wine pomodoro

• ½ medium onion, diced finely
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup red wine
• 1 cup tomato passata ( tomato purée)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, for pan

Parmesan cream sauce

• ½ cup grated Gruyère
• ½ cup grated parmesan, grated (plus extra for garnish)
• ½ cup grated mozzarella (or aged cheddar cheese)
• 1 cup thick (heavy) cream
• ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp chilli flakes, plus extra for garnish, optional
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 191°C (375°F).

1. For the jumbo jumbo meatballs: In a bowl, combine the beef with dried oregano, garlic powder and onion powder. In a separate bowl, prepare the panade – start by whisking eggs with milk. Add the Parmesan, parsley, breadcrumbs, salt and ground pepper. Pour panade in with beef mixture and combine fully. Shape mixture into 2 jumbo meatballs and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
2. Cover the meatballs with foil and bake for about 45 minutes or when internal temperature reaches 71°C (160°F). Remove from the oven and rest under foil while you prepare the sauces.
3. For the red wine tomato sauce: Heat extra virgin olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent (about 3 minutes). Add garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds. Add red wine and simmer until reduced by half the volume. Add tomato passata (tomato purée) and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. let sauce simmer for 5 minutes on low heat. Keep warm and reserve.
4. For the parmesan cream sauce: Add Gruyère, parmesan, mozzarella and cream to a small saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring, until combined and bubbling. Add parsley, chili flakes, and ground pepper. Stir to combine. Keep warm and reserve.
5. Add spaghetti to salted boiling water and cook for 5-7 minutes or until al dente. Using tongs, transfer spaghetti to the parmesan cream sauce and gently toss to combine.
6. Using tongs, plate the spaghetti, dividing between two dishes. Transfer one jumbo meatball alongside a pile of spaghetti and top meatballs with red wine tomato sauce. Grate fresh parmesan over the entire dish. Garnish with extra chilli flakes, if desired.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.