Everyone and their nonna has their own way of doing this Italian-American classic. Ours involves tender beef & ricotta meatballs laced with nutmeg, fresh spaghetti from our friends at Deano’s, and a savory tomato sugo spiked with garlic, basil & fennel. Buon appetito, Fam!
In your bag
Fresh spaghetti (from Deano’s in Somerville, MA!)
6 beef & ricotta meatballs
Tomato Sugo
Garlic focaccia
Grated Parmesan
At home
Casserole dish & aluminum foil OR microwave-safe dish
Large pot & strainer
Tongs
The Meatballs & Tomato Sugo
Oven option:
Preheat oven to 350F. Place the meatballs in a casserole dish with about ½ of the tomato sugo poured over top.
Cover the casserole dish with foil and heat for 15 minutes or until meatballs are warmed to your liking.
Microwave option:
Add meatballs to a microwave-safe dish and pour about ½ of the tomato sugo on top. Cover & microwave until warmed to your liking.
The Spaghetti & Tomato Sugo
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (the amount depends on how much water–we recommend a tablespoon per gallon).
Drop in the spaghetti, stir, and cook for ~2-3 minutes. Test a strand for doneness. (We like it al dente, with a little chew!)
Reserve about ½ cup pasta water and strain.
Add your spaghetti back into the emptied pasta pot with the rest of your sugo and set over low heat.
Mix it all together for a few minutes to incorporate. If it’s looking a little thick, add a splash or two of the reserved pasta water. Give it a taste and add S&P as desired.
The Focaccia
Heat up in the oven, toaster oven, or air fryer.
Use tongs to grab a bundle of spaghetti and twirl it into your bowl, creating a noodle nest. Pop a few meatballs on top, and garnish with a sprinkling of grated Parm. Focaccia goes on the side!
Freezing for later? Toss wrapped focaccia & containers of pasta, meatballs and sauce in the freezer– when you’re ready, pop them in the fridge for 24 hours (or until thawed) & follow steps above!
