If you ask anyone in our family about their favourite Italian dish, pasta would rank first followed by risotto and pizza. Pasta makes for a great lunch or a dinner for us. It is not only filling and nourishing but is immensely versatile and can be cooked with a wide range of ingredients. Anything goes well with pasta, right from vegetables, mushrooms, seafood, meat, to herbs and cheese.
For me, cooking pasta at home not only translates into a good meal, but also gives me a holiday from cooking. Yes, KG, my husband, who is a big foodie, loves to cook up a storm in the kitchen, literally and figuratively!
Last weekend, KG created some magic in the kitchen with Del Monte Italian Gourmet Pasta. Oh by the way, I was a part of that magic too, I was hanging out in the kitchen, sitting at the counter with a glass of wine, talking and clicking pictures as he prepared the meal. And of course, I ensured that his glass was never empty.
Today I present, the most perfect meal to make for some amazing dining at home…
Let’s peek in our kitchen where KG is spiralling some magic with Spiralli Pasta and Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Recipe : Spiralli Pasta and Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
- Serves : 4-6
- Cooking Time : 45 Minutes
- Skill Level : Easy
INGREDIENTS
Meatballs
- 500 gms minced meat
- 2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
- 5-6 cloves garlic, peeled and grated
- 1 egg
- A small bunch of fresh coriander, chopped
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 cup fresh bread crumbs (We made fresh bread crumbs by coarsely grinding 2 bread slices in a mixer)
- Salt to taste
- Oil for frying
Sauce
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed lightly with the flat of a knife
- 200 gms tomato puree
- Salt
- Dried thyme and rosemary
Pasta
- 250 gms Del Monte Gourmet Pasta- Spirali (Short pasta rods twisted in a spiral shape)
Garnishing
- Parmesan cheese, grated
- 8-10 Del Monte green/black olives, pitted and cut (Optional)
- Parsley
DIRECTIONS
Meatballs 
Put all the ingredients of the meatballs in a large dish. With hands scrunch and mix everything together. Shape the meat into desired shape and size. We made them oval shaped using 2 spoons. Meatballs can be shallow fried in oil or baked in an oven. We tried both the methods.
Fried Meatballs : In a pan, pour cooking oil and heat it on medium flame. Drop the meatballs in the oil gently until they are brown from all sides. You may have to turn them occasionally to get that golden brown effect.
Baked Meatballs : Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease the baking dish with oil. Place the meatballs in the dish, keeping them apart from one another. Bake for 25 minutes or till brown from all sides. Turn the meatballs with the help of tongs for even baking.
Sauce
In a large pan over medium heat, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onion turns translucent and garlic is light brown. Add the tomato puree along with salt, thyme and rosemary. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for a 10 minutes. Add the meatballs and simmer it for another 4-6 minutes.
Pasta
In a large saucepan, heat water. Add one tablespoon of salt to the water as it begins to boil. Add the pasta to boiling water and stir immediately to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Cook till the pasta is firm to bite, yet cooked through. Drain the pasta immediately in a colander.
Serve the pasta in a shallow plate. Pour the sauce with meatballs over the pasta. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese, olives and parsley and a dollop of cream cheese which is purely optional. Drizzle some olive oil too.
Aah! This tasted absolutely heavenly and yum!!
I have written this post for Indiblogger and Delmonte IndiEscapades Contest. You can check Del Monte’s Official Facebook page and stay updated for latest products and new food.
32 Responses
This looks absolutely divine. Yum.. Yum 😀
So when are you coming this side to join us for this yummy treat? 🙂
Oh Shilpa, this looks delicious! I will be saving this recipe for future use. Love me some pasta…and you are right, it is so versatile and goes with everything! ♥
Thanks Kathy. Glad you like it! Do try it out and do share your feedback too! Oh yes, pasta is indeed versatile, you can cook hundreds of recipes with it! 🙂
Can I sub meat with anything else? Recipe sounds awesome :).
Oh you can definitely substitute meat. You can make vegetarian balls like…
1. Spinach Balls using spinach, cheese, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs and spices. You can fry or bake them too.
2. Rice Balls using cooked rice, oats, onion, bread crumbs, milk, and spices.
Happy cooking 🙂
That answers my query too, being a vegetarian! Lovely presentation and best wishes for the contest Shilpa!
Great! Thanks a lot Mr Bhatia 🙂
You did a great job with the camera and I’m sure your husband was as good with the cooking. The food definitely looks delicious. I like the idea of a wine-guzzling chef :-).
Thanks Tulika, glad you liked the pics and Chef’s work of art 🙂
Come join us we will clink glasses together 😀
Sure thing when/if I am in your city 🙂
Looking forward to your visit 🙂
Hi shilpa ! looks yummy and its lunch time for me.. .. feeling hungry after reading and looking at this attractive pics…
Thanks Genevive. Wish we were living close by… hope you had a hearty lunch 🙂
That looks so yummy and yet is so easy to make!
Thanks Pooja. 🙂
wow that looks heavenly 😀 yummmmm thanks for the recipe 😀
Thanks Raj 🙂
Yummy. It is lunch time here and I am hungry. Thank for the great recipe. I love pasta – especially bow tie pasta with pesto sauce. Have you tried pesto sauce?
No, I have tried pasta with pesto sauce. Have been seeing a lot of posts with pesto sauce… will ask KG to explore this recipe 🙂
Ahhh!! some day i’ll drop in at your place , and let myself be pampered with all this amazing stuff!!!
Waiting with open arms 🙂
Its often the case that such tempting , irresistible dishes with pictures come across when one is craving for some good food.
Aww!! I know the feeling 😀
Me and my pasta love affair!
It just needed this recipe to strengthen these bonds of love and affection..
Aha! You a pasta lover too! ♥
If it’s Italian, it is Pasta :-). The recipe looks easy. Will definitely try it. It looks great by the way 🙂
Cool! Do try it out, Ashwini 🙂 Thanks, glad you liked it 🙂
Wow! how fabulous that looks and the recipe is doable 😉 thanks for sharing!
So, when are you cooking it? 🙂
ha ha! Now that’s where my problem starts. I cook in my head and try in my imagination.
LOL 😀 That’s a good one 😀