Chef notes
If you happen to be in the mood for yet another oven-pasta triumph, this miraculous meaty marvel is about to make your month! It's got a few pretty clever elements, from an herb mixture that straddles the two main components to the timing of the meatballs and sauce ... and you are going to feel energized by how relatively easy this spaghetti-and-meatballs-esque dish can actually be!
Technique tip: Use a stand mixer with paddle attachment to mix the meat mixture if you prefer not to use your hands; use a small kitchen scoop to form meatballs.
Swap option: Use 1 cup prepared pesto instead of the herb mixture to save time or substitute Italian sausage for some of the ground beef, use rigatoni instead of bucatini.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 2 pints grape tomatoes
- kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 12 ounces bucatini
Preparation
1.Position racks in the top and middle positions of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 F.
2.Add the parsley, basil, oregano, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice to a food processor or blender. Pulse the mixture several times to start pulverizing then continue pulsing while adding the olive oil in a steady stream until the herbs form a paste. Add the Parmesan and pulse to combine.
3.Place the tomatoes in a 9- by 13-inch baking dish and add half the herb mixture, then sprinkle with some salt and pepper and toss to coat the tomatoes. Set the baking dish aside.
4.Combine the ground beef and egg in a large bowl and add the rest of the herb paste and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix it with your hands until well combined then pinch off rough balls of the mixture (1½ to 2 inches) and place them on a sheet pan.
5.Place both the meatballs and the tomatoes in the oven (meatballs on the top rack, tomatoes on the middle rack) and roast everything until the meatballs are cooked through and the tomatoes are bursting open, 15 to 16 minutes.
6.While the meatballs and tomatoes are in the oven, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook to al dente.
7.When the meatballs and tomatoes are done, remove them from the oven. Drain the pasta, reserving a couple of cups of the pasta water and pour it into the tomato dish. Toss the pasta with the tomatoes, adding pasta water to form a light sauce. Make sure the noodles are fully coated in the sauce.
8.To serve, place the pasta with tomato sauce in a bowl and set a few meatballs on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan and garnish with parsley.
From THE PIONEER WOMAN COOKS: DINNER'S READY! by Ree Drummond. Copyright © 2023 by Ree Drummond. Reprinted by permission of William Morrow Cookbooks, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
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