A Recipe to Fall For

Some recipes evoke an absolute carnal lust in me that transcends reasoning. My mouth waters frenziedly, my eyes get big, and my smile widens with the anticipation of the feast. These lust inducing meals usually involve bacon, cheese and pasta covered in luscious red sauce. I am fairly certain my lineage does not contain a trace of Italian, but my favorite foods are profoundly Italian-American like these Meatballs in Bacon Sauce by Chef Beau MacMillan.  

This is not my recipe; however, I felt it deserved a special place on my blog after I dotingly made it for extended family on a recent ski trip to Whistler, Canada. The smell of the sauce simmering for hours, the gentle roasting of the simple meatballs and the absolute joy on the faces of everyone who ate it reminds me what Valentine’s Day is all about: love and family.

If you make this for someone special tonight they will fall in love with you on the spot. 

That is a fact.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Spaghetti with Bacon Sauce and Meatballs

(Recipe by Chef Beau MacMillan)

Ingredients

Bacon Sauce:

7 or 8 strips regular bacon

1 large onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Two 28-ounce cans chunky ground tomatoes, such as Pastene Chunky Kitchen Ready

Meatballs:

Oil, for greasing pan

2 pounds 80-percent lean ground beef

3/4 cup breadcrumbs (made from day old Italian bread)

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving

3/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped

2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced (not too fine)

2 eggs

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound spaghetti (or better yet, bucatini pasta)

Directions

For the bacon sauce: 

Cut the bacon into pieces. Using a big saute pan or skillet that has a cover, cook over medium heat until almost crispy. Don't drain the fat. Add the onions to the pan. When the onions are almost cooked and start to become translucent, add the garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, and then add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer on low for about an hour to an hour and a half.

For the meatballs: 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine the beef, breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley, garlic, eggs and some salt and pepper. Form into 1 to 1 1/2-inch meatballs and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. Then turn the oven down to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Make sure to turn every few minutes to brown on all sides.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

Serve the meatballs over the pasta with the bacon sauce liberally drizzled on top. Garnish with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.