Meatballs and Rigatoni

This is by far my most favorite recipe and I it really should have been the first recipe I posted. It's worth spending a little extra time on dinner for these yummy meatballs. And PLEASE don't skimp on the sauce. Make the recipe for the sauce!! No other store bought sauce will do justice to these meatballs.

Meatballs with Rigatoni
2 slices white bread, remove crusts, cut in small pieces
1/4 cup milk
1 pound ground pork
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
3 small garlic cloves, minced
zest of 1/2 lemon
8 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley(italian parsley), chopped
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 tbsp olive oil
3/4 pound rigatoni noodles
Red Hot Tomato Sauce(see other recipe)
parmesan cheese to serve on top

1. Place bread in a bowl; pour milk over it. In another bowl, mix pork, onion, garlic, zest, and parsley. Add salt and pepper. Mash breada mixture to form paste; add to meat mixture. Mix; add egg. Combine well.
2. Heat oven to 350. Form mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls.

To form the meatballs, I use the medium "ice cream scoop" from Pampered Chef. There are a handful of products that I like from Pampered Chef and this is one of them. LOVE IT!

Brown meatballs. Transfer to a casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes.
3. Cook rigatoni.
4. Cook Red Hot Tomato Sauce
5. Serve...layer noodles, sauce, meatballs, parmesan cheese. Serve with bread on the side, green beans, lemon water. OOH SO GOOD!!!
These meatballs freeze really well. I triple or quadruple the recipe just so I have meatballs I can get out of the freezer, unthaw and serve quick. YUM!


Red Hot Tomato Sauce
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 twenty eight ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes(or to taste)
1 tbsp basil

1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, stirring so that it does not brown, until soft and fragrant, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, and cook, stirring another minute.
2. Add crushed tomatoes and their liquid. Season with salt, pepper, and red-pepper flakes. Add 2 cups cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until sauce has reduced and thickened and has a deep, rich tomato flavor. about 20 minutes. Stir in basil just before serving.
This sauce freezes well along with the meatballs.