Spaghetti with Spicy Meatballs
This chile pepper is often mislabeled ‘Pasilla’, which is a different pepper entirely.It is one of the most popular chiles in Mexico and has won the appreciation of many a chef worldwide because of the superior flavor it has over regular bell peppers. They have a tough outer skin that usually requires roasting and peeling before use. These very large chile peppers are most popular in chiles rellenos recipes, but cooking with these as a substitute for bell peppers in any recipe will enhance the flavor.
Serves: Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
Meatballs:
1 lb ground beef, preferably grassfed (look for 85-15)
1½ cups whole grain panko
½ cup milk
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 egg
1 Poblano chile pepper, seeded, roasted and minced
1 teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon cayenne
Salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Spaghetti:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 bay leaves
¼ teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
28 ounce can pureed tomatoes
8 ounces whole grain spaghetti
Parmesan cheese, for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
Add panko and milk to a large bowl and mix together. Let sit for 5 minutes.
To the breadcrumb mixture, add the ground beef, onion, garlic, egg, spices, salt and pepper. Using clean hands, mix to combine until well distributed. Form into 16-18 balls slightly smaller than a golf ball and place on a plate. Refrigerate about 1 hour until ready to cook.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium high. Add meatballs and brown on all sides. Remove meatballs to a plate and set aside until ready to use.
Next, make the spaghetti. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain and set aside until ready to use.
Heat olive oil in a medium pot on medium high heat. Add onion, garlic and red pepper and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add red pepper and ay leaf and cook an additional 1minute or two. Add tomatoes, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer. Add meatballs to the sauce when simmering, cover and let cook about 10 minutes until flavors have melded and meatballs are cooked through.
Divide spaghetti between bowls, top with 4 meatballs each and sauce. Serve garnished with parmesan cheese.
Slightly adapted from avocadoadaynutrition.com