Meatballs are classic Italian and I can whip up a pan of meatballs and sauce pretty quickly. They are also excellent for a GLP1 lifestyle now that I am free to eat a little pasta. I buy Marketside brand Organic 85% beef, a slab of Parmesan Reggiano cheese, Progresso breadcrumbs, DeCecco pasta and Rao's sauce at Walmart to keep in my pantry.
When short on time, I may take a shortcut and simmer my meatballs in a jar of Rao's Marinara... sometimes I add them to a 28 can of Contadina crushed tomatoes that I simmer with salt pepper, basil and a crushed garlic clove. Your choice, but I do both.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 egg
4 garlic cloves, very finely minced
1/2 cup Progresso Italian Seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano or Romano cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
A jar of Rao's Marinara sauce
Chopped fresh basil
Your favorite pasta - I like De Cecco brand Cavatappi, Farfalle or Thin Spaghetti
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together using your clean hands the beef, egg, garlic, bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup very cold water until well blended and homogeneous.
Using an ice cream scoop to portion, roll into 2 ounce meatballs and arrange on a Pam sprayed baking sheet. You should have 8 meatballs. Bake until lightly golden about 20 minutes.
Fill a large pot with water, add two tablespoons salt and put on to boil for your pasta.
Heat the Rao's sauce in a large saucepan. Add the baked meatballs with pan juices and simmer 8 to 10 minutes while your pasta cooks. Serve by removing meatballs to a bowl, draining your pasta, adding to the sauce in your pot and tossing to coat. Plate a nest of pasta, a meatball on top and grated parmesan cheese. As finishing touch, roll up a few fresh basil leaves and thinly slice - scatter over the dish. Boom.
