When I look back at recipes I have created, pizzas are on the list a lot. Pizza because we almost always try to make pizza on Friday. For Thursdays we generally try to make a pasta dish or a baked meat dish. When making pasta I generally like it to be exciting. More exciting than just boiling pasta and throwing sauce on it. That is why I created this sumptuous spaghetti with juicy meatball recipe. I wanted a pasta dish with substance that had an amazing flavor. What makes it sumptuous spaghetti? A sauce that is full flavored and cradles the pasta in tomatoey goodness. What makes juicy meatballs? A recipe that will not allow meatballs to dry out and be bland lumps. This recipe accomplishes both.

The Sauce:

When it comes to great flavor of pasta sauce the ingredients make a huge difference.  Certain things cannot be short cut in the recipe.  Great pasta sauce ingredients equal a great tasting pasta sauce.

Tomato Passata:

What is tomato passata?  This is a tomato puree that is uncooked and does not contain any seeds or skins.  This is usually made with sweet, ripe Italian tomatoes.  The tomatoes have been milled into a velvety-smooth consistency.  Passata provides a bright, raw tomatoey flavor as if you grated the tomatoes yourself.  It is also uncooked thus retains its natural sweetness and acidity.  Passata is also free of additives; however, I did find a brand that came with a basil in the bottle.  I never knew it existed until a couple of years ago and started using it for my sauces and could not believe the developed flavor it adds to pasta sauces.

Crushed Italian Tomatoes:

Using crushed Italian tomatoes for this recipe is crucial as well.  Italian tomatoes are known for their natural sweetness and bright acidity.  Crushed Italian tomatoes have a thick, rustic puree that adds body to the pasta sauce.  Italian tomatoes add to a more full-bodied pasta sauce.  Usually, I can only find crushed Italian tomatoes in 28-ounce cans and that is why this recipe serves six.

The tender meatballs:

What makes the meatballs so tender and juicy is a combination of factors.  First even though ground sirloin is used the fat that the Italian sausage adds juiciness to the meatball.  Olive oil is also added to the meatballs to add even more fat.  Fat is key to juicy meatballs.

Breadcrumbs for tender meatballs:

A panade of breadcrumbs and milk is what helps to bind the meatballs and keep them tender.  The Panko breadcrumbs enhance the texture and moisture retention of the meatballs.  Because the Panko crumbs are lighter and flakier they prevent the meatballs from becoming too dense.

Milk:

I feel that the true game changer to my meatballs and even my meatloaf recipe has been the addition of milk.  Milk helps to break down the proteins in the meat and gives it a softer texture.  Milk also helps to retain moisture while roasting the meatballs.  I use 1% milk, because it is what I have on hand.

The process is also key.  The breadcrumbs should be placed in a bowl and then the milk added to the breadcrumbs.  I use a fork and get all the crumbs moist with milk.  After that all the other ingredients can be added to the meatball mixture.  There is no need to wait any length of time for the milk to sit over the breadcrumbs.

The Sumptuous Spaghetti:

For the pasta I would recommend spaghetti or bucatini.  I really enjoy the heartiness of bucatini.  Bucatini is a pasta that has a hollow center allowing it to hold sauces better than traditional pasta shapes.  Bucatini is great for rich and hearty sauces like this one.

Other Recommended Pasta Dishes:

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