228-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE RICOTTA MEATBALLS
2tablespoonsolive oil
1smallyellow onionfinely diced
2garlic clovesminced
½poundground beef
½poundground veal
½poundground pork
1¼cupswhole-milk ricotta cheese
¾cupfinely grated Parmesan cheese
½teaspoonfreshly grated nutmeg
½cuppanko bread crumbs
1eggbeaten
½cupfinely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8ouncesspaghetti
8ounceszucchini noodlesfrom 1 large zucchini
Freshly grated Parmesan cheesefor serving
Chopped fresh basilfor garnish
Instructies
First make the pomodoro sauce: In a medium Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the red pepper flakes and tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds.
Tie the oregano and thyme sprigs with butcher’s twine and add the herb bundle to the pot with the tomatoes.
Season with salt and black pepper.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the ricotta meatballs: Heat a small nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat.
Add the olive oil, onion, and garlic and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let cool.
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, veal, and pork, the ricotta, Parmesan, nutmeg, panko, egg, parsley, and cooled onion mixture.
Season with salt and pepper.
Be sure not to overmix.
Fry off a small portion of the meat mixture to taste for seasoning.
Using an ice cream scoop, scoop about 20 meatballs onto a baking sheet.
Add the meatballs to the simmering pomodoro sauce, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, until cooked through.
Remove the meatballs from the sauce and keep warm.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Cook the spaghetti until al dente according to package directions.
Drain.
Meanwhile, add the zucchini noodles to the pomodoro sauce and cook until al dente, about 5 minutes.
Add the cooked spaghetti to the sauce and mix to combine.
Serve the spaghetti and zucchini noodles topped with the meatballs.
Garnish with Parmesan and basil.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
JUST THE TIPSIf you can’t find zucchini noodles at the store, spiralize 1 large zucchini before you make the meatballs and set aside.
You don’t have to mix spaghetti with zucchini noodles. This is just a clever way to sneak in vegetables, since the two ingredients have similar textures.
If you’d prefer to bake your meatballs, put them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated 400ºF oven for about 20 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.