Classic Spaghetti & Meatballs

Meatballs:

2 1/3 cups panko bread crumbs

1½ cups buttermilk

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 lbs. ground beef

1 lb. ground pork

6 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped fine

3 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 ½ cups)

6 T. minced fresh parsley leaves

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ tsp. powdered gelatin, dissolved in 3 T. cold water

Salt & Pepper

Sauce:

3 T. olive oil 1 ½ cups grated onions

6 garlic cloves, minced ½ tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. dried oregano

6 cups bottled tomato juice

3 (28 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes

6 T. dry white wine

½ cup minced fresh basil leaves

3 T. minced fresh parsley leaves

Sugar

Grated parmesan for serving

Directions:  Meatballs:  Place wire rack in 2 foil-lined rimmed baking sheets.  Adjust 

oven racks to lower-middle and upper-middle positions and heat oven to 450 

degrees.  Combine bread crumbs and buttermilk in large bowl and let sit, mashing 

occasionally with fork, until smooth paste forms, about 10 minutes.  

Add eggs, beef, pork, prosciutto, Parmesan, parsley, garlic, gelatin mixture, 1 ½ tsp. 

salt, and ½ tsp. pepper to bread-crumb mixture.  Using hands, gently mix until 

thoroughly combined.  Lightly form about ¼ cup mixture into 2-inch round meatball; 

repeat with remaining mixture to form approximately 40 meatballs.

Spray wire racks with non-stick cooking spray and place meatballs, evenly spaced, 

on racks; roast until browned, about 30 minutes, rotating trays from front to back and 

top to bottom halfway through. 

Sauce:  While meatballs roast, heat olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat 

until shimmering.  Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and 

golden around edges, 6 to 8 minutes.  Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano; 

cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in tomato juice, 

crushed tomatoes, wine, 1 ½ tsp. salt, and pepper to taste.  Increase heat to medium-

high and bring to simmer.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly 

thickened, about 15 minutes.

Remove meatballs from oven and lower over temperature to 300 degrees.  Gently 

add meatballs to sauce, cover pot, and place in oven.  Cook until meatballs are firm 

and sauce has thickened, about 1 hour.

Pasta:  Prepare spaghetti per package instructions.

To serve, stir basil and parsley into sauce and adjust seasoning with sugar, salt, and 

pepper.  Serve with grated Parmesan.

Comment:  Very good. Worth the effort. Huge batch, but freezes well.