Spaghetti & Meatballs

Olive oil, as needed
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley leaves
1 cup fat-free milk
4 slices white bread, crust removed
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken breast
1 large egg
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Morton salt substitute & black pepper, to taste
4 cups heated Pomodoro Sauce, recipe follows
1/2 cup Kraft 2% Mozzarella cheese
3 sprigs fresh basil, leaves only
32 ounces Muller's Whole Grain Spaghetti

SAUCE:
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 (28 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained and crushed, liquid reserved
Morton salt substitute & black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces

Start by making sauce. Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low. Add the onion and garlic and cook until vegetables are soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and about 1/2 cup of the reserved liquid and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Bring to a boil, stirring for a few minutes with a wooden spoon to further break up tomatoes. Reduce heat and let simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in the fresh basil and season again.

Meanwhile, bring a big pot of water to a boil for the spaghetti. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and parsley and cook until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and let cool.

In a bowl, pour enough milk over the bread to moisten and let it soak while the onions are cooling. Combine the meats in a large bowl. Add the egg and Parmesan and season generously with salt substitute and pepper. Use your hands to squeeze the excess milk out of the bread and add that to the bowl with the cooled onion mixture. Gently combine all bread-onion mixture and meat mixture with your hands. Don't overwork or the meatballs will be tough. Divide and make into large meatballs.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Heat a 3-count of oil in the frying pan over medium heat and brown the meatballs on all sides, about 10 minutes. Put them into a baking dish and spoon about half of the Pomodoro sauce over. Shower with Mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil. Put the meatballs in the oven and bake until the meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in the boiling water until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and put it onto a large serving platter. Pour on the rest of the sauce and mix well. Spoon the meatballs on top of the spaghetti and garnish with basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Serving Size = 3 ounces meatballs, 2 ounces pasta

Number of Servings: 16

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user TELLNOTALE.