Pasta and meatballs
For meatballs:
1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated asiago cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 shallot, minced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp each: dried oregano, salt and pepper
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
1 large egg, beaten
1 lb lean ground beef
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly, using a wooden spoon or your hands. Cover with plastic wrap and chill mixture in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°. Remove mixture from refrigerator. Shape meat into mini meatballs, about 1/2- to 3/4-inch rounds, and place on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake on centre rack of preheated oven until meatballs are cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes. Cool pan on a baking rack. Reserve meatballs. Makes about 40 meatballs.
For pasta:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small cooking onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup white wine
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes and juice
1/2 of a 450-g package capellini or angel hair pasta
1 cup 35% cream
1 tbsp each: finely chopped fresh oregano, parsley and chives
Grated asiago cheese for garnish
Heat olive oil in a deep-dish saute pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, bay leaf, red pepper flakes and sugar. Saute mixture, stirring continually, until onion begins to soften, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in wine and saute until liquid evaporates, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add tomatoes and juice to pan and increase heat to medium-high. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pan, and simmer, stirring occasionally to break up the tomatoes, until mixture is thickened, about 20 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cook capellini in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain pasta in a colander, rinse and reserve.
Uncover pan and add cream to thickened tomato sauce, followed by reserved meatballs. Simmer sauce until thick and meatballs are heated through, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add chopped fresh herbs and cooked capellini and toss until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve topped with grated asiago cheese.
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