Big Beef Balls With Bucatini Recipes

BIG BEEF MEATBALLS WITH BUCATINI BY RACHAEL RAY

Steps:

• Instructions.
• Preheat 400 degrees F. Place a large pot of water over high heat and
• bring to a boil.
• Mix meat with the grated onion, 3 cloves chopped garlic, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, allspice,
• capers, sage, a handful of the chopped parsley, salt and pepper and a healthy drizzle of
• extra-virgin olive oil. Mix meat, score the meat into 4 sections and make 3 very large balls from
• each section. Arrange the 12 balls on a nonstick cookie sheet and roast 15 minutes until firm but
• not hard.
• Drop bucatini in salted boiling water to cook off. Drain.
• Add another tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil to the skillet and the pancetta. Cook 3 to 4
• minutes then add the remaining garlic and mushrooms to the pan and cook 5 minutes. Season the
• mushrooms with salt and pepper. Add remaining chopped onion and deglaze the pan with wine, cook off
• 1 minute, add in stock and whisk up remaining drippings. Stir in the tomatoes and season sauce with
• salt and pepper, if necessary. Stir in parsley. Simmer 5 minutes.
• Toss pasta with half the sauce. Remove balls from oven and add to remaining sauce and turn to coat.
• Serve large balls, 3 per person, along side pasta. Spoon any remaining sauce over the pasta. Pass
• extra cheese at the tables.

THE BIG MEATBALL

Steps:

• Preaheat oven to 350°.
• In a big mixing bowl, combine the beef, sausage, bread crumbs, parsley, cheese, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and eggs (this works best if you use your hands).
• Place the meat in the center of a 13x9 inch baking dish; shape mixture into a smooth rounded dome 3-4 inches high.
• Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes.
• Spoon or drain off any fat in the dish.
• Pour the marinara sauce over the loaf and bake 20 minutes; let stand 10 minutes.
• Serve meatloaf cut in wedges with about 2/3 cup sauce per serving.
• Left-overs: cut into chunks and reheat in additional marinara sauce; serve spooned into hero or grinder rolls; add a few slices of mozzarella cheese and sauteed green pepper, if you wish.

BIG BEEF BALLS WITH BUCATINI

Steps:

• Heat a deep skillet over medium heat. Cook the onions in 1 tablespoon of the EVOO (once around the pan) for 5 minutes. Remove the onions and set them aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, mix the meat with half the onions, 3 cloves of the chopped garlic, the egg, bread crumbs, cheese, allspice, capers, sage, a handful of the chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and a healthy drizzle of EVOO. Score the meat into 4 sections and make 3 very large balls from each section. Arrange the 12 balls on a nonstick cookie sheet and roast for 15 minutes until firm but not hard.
• Drop the bucatini in the salted boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta.
• While the pasta and meatballs are cooking, heat another tablespoon of EVOO in the skillet in which the onions were cooked. Add the pancetta and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the remaining garlic and the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Add the remaining onions back and deglaze the pan with the red wine, cook for 1 minute, add the beef stock, and whisk up any brown bits. Stir in the tomatoes and season the sauce with salt and pepper. Stir in the remaining parsley. Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Toss the pasta with half the sauce. Remove the meatballs from the oven and add to the remaining sauce, turning to coat. Serve 3 meatballs per person alongside the pasta. Spoon any remaining sauce over the pasta. Pass extra cheese at the table. Serve with a green salad.