Reciepe Review: Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs

I love spaghetti; it's relatively inexpensive, simple to cook, and versatile; one pot will feed a large family. Although both spaghetti and the meatballs originate from Italy, the way we combine them in the U.S., with large servings and rich tomato sauce, is a dish that was developed by Italian Americans in New York communities.  

 

Spaghetti might not have been the top pick for our family; it was definitely at the top of the list in my house. We enjoyed goulash, spaghetti with meatballs, spaghetti with meat sauce, spaghetti with only regular tomato sauce, and a lot of canned Chef Boyardee.  

 

This recipe offers a unique twist on the classic spaghetti and meatballs. The recipe baked in a casserole dish piqued my interest; I have never eaten this popular meal cooked that way. The recipe includes some basic ingredients along with a few additional flavor mixes. 

 

I followed the recipe as closely as possible, except that instead of using beef meatballs, I used frozen turkey meatballs, and I omitted the pork meatballs. I should also note that I had never used nutmeg or known anyone who had. The preparation process was a bit intimidating because the list of ingredients was long, but it proved to be surprisingly simple.  

 

The finished product looked almost identical to the photo that accompanied the preparation instructions. This casserole version filled the house with a familiar and pleasant aroma. I received good reviews from my family members. My wife and my oldest daughter are vegans, so of course, they were careful to only taste a small portion from the top. Overall, the baked dish was good; I will definitely try it again. 

Ingredients

• 12 ounces spaghetti
• 3 cups marinara sauce, homemade or store-bought
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

For the meatballs

• 8 ounces ground beef
• 8 ounces ground pork
• 1 large egg, beaten
• ¼ cup Panko
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

 

https://damndelicious.net/2016/01/29/baked-spaghetti-and-meatballs/