PJ’s sauce is rich, sweet, and garlicky. Andie cooks the meatballs right in that sauce, allowing them to retain their moisture, and giving the sauce even more flavor. From Eating in the Middle Cookbook, by Andie Mitchell.
Ingredients
For the sauce:
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1smallonion, finely chopped onion (about 1/2 cup)
4clovesgarlic, minced
128 ozcan crushed or pureed tomatoes
16 ozcan tomato paste
2Tbsp.sugar
1Tbsp.dried oregano
¼tsp.salt
1tsp.pepper
For the meatballs:
1lb.ground beef, 85% lean
1largeegg, beaten
⅓cupseasoned breadcrumbs
1 ½tsp.dried mint
2tsp.dried oregano
½tsp.salt
½tsp.pepper
12ouncesdry penne or ziti, I use DeLallo brand
½cupgrated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
For the sauce, in a large stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, about 12 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low, and if the onion starts to burn, add a tablespoon of water.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, about 1 minute. The more color that develops on the onion and garlic, the more flavor they’ll addd to the finished sauce.
Add the crushed tomatoes and the tomato paste and stir well. Add the sugar, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook stirring occasionally so that the bottom does not burn, for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, for the meatballs, break apart the beef in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg, bread crumbs, oregano, mint, salt, and pepper, and use your hands to mix. Do not overwork the beef, or the meatballs will be rough.
Shape the meat mixture into about twelve 1-½ inch balls. Drop them into the sauce and stir gently to cover the meatballs in sauce. Cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, until the meatballs are cooked through, about 1 hour.
Boil the pasta according to the package directions. Drain.
To serve, divide the pasta among 4 plates or bowls. Or serve the meatballs on top of the pasta on a large platter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese; serve!