Meatball Pasta

This style of meatballs reminds me of the Vietnamese xíu mại—except for the sauce. In Vietnam, we usually serve ‘‘xíu mại’’ in tomato sauce with a crusty bánh mì (baguette) and fried egg. Here, the sauce is meant for pasta, but the concept is similar.

One trick I’ve found to keep meatballs soft and tender is soaking white bread in milk. Some recipes call for breadcrumbs, but trust me, the bread-and-milk method makes them extra juicy—no more dry meatballs! I also mix beef and pork for extra flavor. The smell of fresh Italian basil in the sauce is just chef’s kiss. These meatballs are good on their own, but tossing them straight into pasta makes a perfect meal. No need for separate pans—just mix everything together!

Meatballs -30 small pcs

• 200g ground beef

• 100g ground pork

• 1 fresh tomato (chopped)

• Dried oregano

• 2 slices white bread, torn into small pieces and soaked in unsweetened milk

• ½ onion (finely minced)

• 30g Grana Padano or Parmigiano cheese

• 1 egg

Method:

1. Mix everything together and shape into small meatballs.

2. Lightly coat with olive oil and bake at 190°C for 10 minutes per side. This prevents oil splatters.

• No oven? No problem—pan-searing works too!

Tomato Sauce

• 3 fresh tomatoes (diced)

• 1 can of tomatoes

• 20g tomato paste

• Fresh Italian basil

Method:

1. Heat olive oil in a pan, add three whole garlic cloves, and remove them once fragrant.

2. Sauté the fresh tomatoes, tomato paste, and canned tomatoes together.

3. Add basil leaves to enhance the aroma.

4. Once the sauce is rich and flavorful, add the meatballs and let them simmer for 15 minutes on low heat. Season with salt to taste.

5. If you want more sauce, add reserved pasta water and let it simmer longer.

Spoon the sauce and meatballs over spaghetti, top with grated cheese and fresh basil. Simple, comforting, and packed with flavor!