Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce, Meatballs, and Crispy Kale

Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce, Meatballs, and Crispy Kale

Fresh Tomato Sauce:

4 roma tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

parsley stems from 1 small bunch of parsley (see meatball recipe)

1/2 tsp dried oregano

salt, to taste

cooked spaghetti for two - fresh is better

extra chopped parsley or basil to garnish with

toasted breadcrumbs to garnish with (melted butter + breadcrumbs over medium heat until golden)

Crispy Kale:

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1.5 cups of roughly torn kale leaves

1/4 cup of water

pinch of salt, to taste

Magnus Nilsson's Grandmother's Meatballs (adapted):

16 oz ground pork

8 oz ground beef

1.5 tsp salt

1.5 tsp white pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 egg

2/3 cup milk of your choice 

3/4 cup breadcrumbs

extra breadcrumbs (about 1/2 cup)

Begin by making the sauce. Add the tomatoes to a medium pot, cover with water, and bring the water to a boil. Remove the tomatoes when the skins begin to blister and peel away. Drain the water and shock the tomatoes with cold/ice water. Carefully peel the skins away before roughly chopping the tomatoes. Add the chopped tomatoes (and any juices) to the pot and cook over medium heat with the garlic, parsley stems, oregano, and salt. Cook until the sauce has reached your desired thickness. Remove the parsley stems before serving. 

Preheat your oven to 425*F. As the sauce is reducing, prepare your meatballs. Combine the egg, milk, and breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes. Gently mix the pork, beef, salt, white pepper, and parsley with your hands. Mix in the soaked breadcrumbs. Shape your meatballs (2-tablespoons of the meat mixture per meatball), rolling each in a shallow plate of breadcrumbs to coat. Place on a well greased baking sheet. After your meatballs have been shaped, let them set up in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking for 15-20 minutes, or until fully cooked (no longer pink in the center). This recipe makes a very large batch - freeze the extras after baking and cooling completely!

Add the olive oil and minced garlic to a medium pan. Saute over medium-high heat for a minute and add the kale. Coat the kale in the garlic-infused oil for 30 seconds before slowly drizzling in a little bit of water - you may not need the entire 1/4 cup, start off with 1-2 tablespoons. Cover the pan with a lid and let the kale steam until it's tender but still has texture. Increase the heat to high, and cook the kale without the lid on the pan until crispy. The more surface area the crispier, so spread the kale out in the pan as it's cooking (a wider pan helps, too!). 

To plate - toss your cooked spaghetti in your reduced sauce (parsley stems removed). Add your kale and meatballs on top. Garnish with chopped parsley/basil/ toasted breadcrumbs.