Pasta with Meatballs and Mushrooms
Kitchen Tested 
- Yield 8 servings
- Prep 10 mins
- Cook 25 mins
A fresh twist on the American favorite: Spaghetti and meatballs.
Here's Pino Luongo's answer to American spaghetti and meatballs: A delicate dish of fresh pasta with small rounds of veal flavored with mushrooms, sweet peas and mintand no tomato sauce in sight. Pino suggests a short pasta here, but linguine also works well.
Ingredients
- Meatballs:
- 8 ounces ground veal
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons 1
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Coarsely ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup Olive oil
- Sauce and Spaghetti:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling (optional)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 12 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced 1/2 inch thick
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups fresh sweet peas or thawed tiny frozen peas
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 6 fresh mint leaves
- 1 1/2 pounds hot cooked, fresh or dried linguine (1/2 cup cooking liquid reserved)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Instructions
- To prepare meatballs, place meat in a large bowl; add cheese, egg yolk, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix gently. Roll into grape-sized portions.
- Heat 1⁄4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, place meatballs in the pan, without crowding, and sauté until browned and crisp on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until other side is browned and crisp, about 2 minutes. Remove meatballs with a spatula and place on paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining meat mixture.
- To prepare sauce, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper, and sauté 5 minutes. Add peas, toss, and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth and mint and cook another 5 minutes. Add meatballs, toss well, cover and keep warm.
- Add cooked pasta to sauce. Add butter, cheese, and a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water, and heat over very low heat. Toss thoroughly, drizzling with more olive oil if desired.
Recipe by Pino Luongo.
