SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS AND SAUSAGE FOR THE MEAT BALLS

FOR THE MEAT BALLS

1 pound (450 g) of fatty ground beef

1 large onion, grated on the large holes of a box grater

4 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup (125 mL) of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 egg, lightly beaten

A handful of minced fresh parsley

1 tablespoon (15 mL) of dried oregano

1 teaspoon (5 mL) of nutmeg

½ teaspoon (2 mL) of sea salt

Lots of freshly ground pepper

 FOR THE SAUCE

2 tablespoons (30 mL) of olive oil

2 large onions, sliced

Cloves from 1 head of garlic, sliced

A 28-ounce (796 mL) can of crushed tomatoes

A 28-ounce (796 mL) can of diced tomatoes

A 5.5-ounce (156 mL) can of tomato paste

1 bay leaf

½ tsp (2 mL) of sea salt

Lots of freshly ground pepper

THE OTHER THINGS YOU’LL NEED

4 Italian sausages, sliced into 1-inch (2.5 cm) rounds

1 pound (450 g) of spaghetti

Whip up the meatballs first and have them waiting in the slow cooker for the equally speedy sauce. Simply toss the ground beef into a bowl along with the remaining meatball ingredients. Use your hands to mix the works thoroughly, evenly distributing the flavors and textures. Form into at least 12 small balls and place directly in the slow cooker. Top with the sausages.

Now make the sauce. Splash the olive oil into your favorite large saucepan over medium-high heat. Toss in the onions and garlic and sauté for a few minutes, building flavor. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes and tomato paste, then stir in the bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a furious boil, then pour the sauce over the meatballs and sausages. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Ten minutes before it’s done, boil the spaghetti. Serve and share!

BANGKOK MEATBALLS

INGREDIENTS

4 scallions, chopped

1 inch/2 cm fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

1 stalk lemongrass (the pale yellow parts only), chopped

1 tbsp/15 g fish sauce

1 tbsp/15 ml fresh lime juice

6 Thai basil leaves

2 Thai chili peppers, chopped

2 lbs/910 g ground turkey

2 tsp/15 g raw honey

2 eggs, lightly whisked

1 tsp/5 g sea salt

½ tsp pepper

1 tbsp/2 g arrowroot starch

coconut oil for frying

SERVES 6

This twist on a traditional meatball is to die for! Thai flavors are some of my favorites and I jump at every opportunity to experiment with them.

Thai chili peppers are sometimes hard to come by. If you can’t find some, serrano peppers make a good substitute.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Place scallions, ginger, lemongrass, fish sauce, lime juice, basil leaves and chili peppers in a food processor until the mixture forms a paste. Add it to the meat and combine, but do not overmix. Whisk the honey into the eggs. Add the egg and honey mixture to the meat. Add salt and pepper. Sprinkle the mixture with arrowroot; fold it in until it disappears. Using a tablespoon, scoop up some of the meatball mixture and shape it into a ball. Heat a wok over medium heat. Add enough coconut oil to cover half of the meatballs. Drop the meatballs into the wok to fry. Using a spoon, turn the meatballs to fry the other side. Cook until the meatballs are browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Move to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

CHEF’S TIP

If you don’t have a wok, place ¼ cup/60 ml coconut oil in a skillet. Keep turning your meatballs until they are browned on all sides.