A Valentine's Day Tradition

There are some holidays I rarely get right (New Year's Eve, I'm looking at you. Halloween, let's not even go there.). But Valentine's Day? I've got it figured out. Sure, you can look at Valentine's Day as a Hallmark holiday. Yet another crass commercialization of real human emotion. All those jewelry commercials... god, they're terrible. 

But what if Valentine's Day was just a simple, romantic night? No pressure to get the most impressive restaurant reservation or tickets to the most original Valentine's-themed event in town before it sells out. What if you just made a special dinner at home? And what if cooking the dinner together was half the fun? Three years ago I stumbled upon this combination and I'm never looking back. I love a good tradition, especially when it involves food.

Spaghetti and meatballs are soooo easy, yet soooo good. The time it takes to make the meatballs and the care you must take in buying the right ingredients make it a special meal. But not Lobster tail-special; you'll still be able to afford a nice bottle of wine to go with dinner. Push aside your associations of Lady and the Tramp. Don't laugh. Just let me tell you how it's done. 

First, turn on some music. I've made it easy for you. Listen to my Spotify playlist here (it's a little heavy on the Italian crooners).  

Second, pour a couple glasses of wine. This is going to be fun. Set the table, so it will be ready when you're finished cooking. Light some candles and dim the lights in the dining room.

Now, grab your Valentine and get ready to make some meatballs!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated's Italian Classics

For the meatballs :

2 slices white sandwich bread (crusts removed), torn into small pieces (about 1 cup)

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 pound ground beef

1/4 pound ground pork

1/4 pound ground veal

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp minced Italian flat-leaf parsley

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp finely minced garlic

3/4 tsp salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1-1 1/4 cups vegetable oil for pan-frying the meatballs

For the tomato sauce:

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp minced garlic

1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes (San Marzano, if you can find them)

1 Tbsp minced fresh basil leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the pasta:

1 pound spaghetti

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese and minced basil to garnish the finished dish
1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to boil for the pasta. 

2. Make the meatballs. The best part. Combine the breadcrumbs and buttermilk in a small bowl. Set aside for at least 10 minutes, mashing the mixture occasionally with a fork, to form a paste. In a large bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese, parsley, egg yolk, garlic, salt and ground pepper. Work the ground meats evenly into the mixture. Add the soaked breadcrumbs and combine until evenly mixed.

A note about mixing: the best way to make meatballs is with your (freshly washed) bare hands. To keep the meat tender, you'll want to use the lightest touch possible. Just embrace 

the messiness– it's part of the fun!

Form the meat into 1 1/2" meatballs. You should end up with about 14.

3. Pour vegetable oil into a large non-stick frying pan to a depth of 1/4". Turn the heat to medium high and when the oil sizzles, add the meatballs in a single layer. Fry, turning as necessary, until the meatballs are nicely browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. You may need to do a few batches. Transfer the browned meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate.

4. Make the sauce in the same pan you used for the meatballs. Discard the oil, but leave the brown bits behind, because they'll add flavor. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the pan and add the garlic when hot. Stir, scraping up the brown bits, for about 30 seconds, or until the garlic is fragrant. Add the tomatoes carefully (the oil may splatter if it's too hot) and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Stir in the minced basil and the salt and pepper to taste. Add the meatballs and simmer over medium to low heat, until heated through. Keep the sauce warm over low heat.

5. When the pasta water comes to a rolling boil, add the spaghetti. Look at the package and see how long it recommends cooking the pasta until al dente. Set your timer for two minutes less than they recommend (this trick almost always works when I cook pasta). Check when the timer goes off and drain the pasta if al dente. Shake off any excess water and return the pasta to the pot. Ladle several large spoonfuls of sauce over the pasta (no meatballs) and toss to coat, then spoon some pasta into a low bowl, top with a little more sauce and however many meatballs you like. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and minced basil.

The recipe makes 4 generous servings.