Everyone thinks spaghetti with meatballs is an Italian-American invention – but in Abruzzo, they’ve been doing it for centuries. The beauty of this recipe from chef Danilo Cortellini is that the meatballs aren’t great big boulders; instead, they’re tiny nuggets, which nestle among the strands of pasta. They take a little longer to make than larger meatballs, but they’re well worth the effort.
“This recipe is close to my heart and traditionally Abruzzese: square spaghetti dressed with intense mini meatballs in a tomato sauce,” says Danilo. “This funnily shaped spaghetti (Rustichella d’Abruzzo is the best brand) is made with an egg-based dough and has an incredible texture, which helps each strand hold the sauce magnetically well.” Discover more about the fabulous food of Abruzzo in our full guide to the region.
A chef and event host, Danilo comes from Abruzzo. For 10 years he was the chef at the Italian Embassy in London, which led to his first cookbook, 4 Grosvenor Square: The Menu Of The Italian Embassy In London. Before that, he trained at renowned restaurants including San Domenico in Imola and the three-Michelin- starred Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester. Danilo was a finalist on MasterChef: The Professionals and his second book, Better Than Nonna, is out in November 2024.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- ½ celery stick, finely chopped
- 600g (1½ tins) plum tomatoes
- 500g Chitarrone pasta (see Before you start)
For the meatballs
- 400g veal or beef mince
- 1 tbsp finely grated pecorino, plus extra to serve
- 1 medium free-range egg yolk
- Finely grated nutmeg
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, peeled but left whole
- Plain flour to dust
- 20g unsalted butter
- 1 thyme sprig
- 50ml dry white wine
Method
- To make the meatballs, mix the mince, cheese, egg yolk and a good rasping of nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper, then knead the mixture with your hands until smooth. Pinch a little of the mixture off and roll it into a small ball – no more than 4g and about the size of a large chickpea. If the mixture is sticky, rub your hands with a little oil to make this easier.
- Add the 2 tbsp olive oil to a large deep frying pan over a medium heat, then add the whole garlic clove and chilli. Scatter some flour over the meatballs, rolling them around to coat. Once the garlic starts to colour, add the meatballs and turn the heat to high. Cook, tossing regularly, until browned all over, then add the butter and thyme and cook for a few more minutes.
- Pour in the wine, scrape the base of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze, then leave to simmer for 1 minute (the wine should almost completely evaporate). Discard the garlic clove, transfer the meatballs to a plate and put the pan back over a low-medium heat (don’t wash the pan).
- To make the sauce, add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil to the pan. Add the onion, carrots, celery and a pinch of salt, then cook for 5 minutes until softened but not coloured. Tip in the tomatoes, stir, then add the cooked meatballs. Leave to simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the tomatoes have broken down (you may want to help them along by crushing them with a wooden spoon).
- Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. When the sauce has roughly 10-15 minutes left, add the pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the packet instructions.
- Drain the pasta, reserving a mugful of the water, then add the pasta to the sauce. Stir and toss vigorously, adding a splash of pasta water to loosen up the sauce, until fully combined. Divide among plates, then top with extra grated cheese, if you like.
Nutrition
- 604kcals Calories
- 25g (8.5g saturated) Fat
- 26g Protein
- 65g (8.4g sugars) Carbs
- 5.5g Fibre
- 0.4g Salt
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