Recipes
Pasta and Meatballs
By Alex Sazama
Some of Alex Sazama’s happiest memories involving food are of his great-grandma cooking, often in tandem with his mom. He was a bystander, one who understood that a great meal was going to come out of it – specifically pasta sauce and meatballs. Says Sazama: “Whenever I think of pasta and meatballs, it reminds me of those times. And I’m sure that that’s something that resonates with a lot of families.”
Sazama didn’t go by the great-grandma's book with these recipes for meatballs and sauce, calling his renditions “a little bit more intensive. But that’s kind of my ethos. I love the originals, but I like to up the ante, so I wanted to put my own personal spin on it.” At its core, it’s the simplicity that he loves: “But it requires very careful orchestrating to make it excellent.”
Although you can use just one of the two suggested meats, he thinks combining pork and beef “gives [the meatballs] a better texture, more robust flavor.” He adds sage, fennel seed, basil and parsley to create layers of flavor – upping the ante, to be sure.
Ingredients
Serves 6-8
Marinara
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cup onion, diced
7 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup red wine
110 ounces San Marzano tomatoes, canned
65 ounces water
3 fresh thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons marjoram or oregano
1/4 cup butter
3/4 teaspoon black pepper, ground
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
Meatballs
1 pound grass-fed beef, ground
1 pound Duroc pork, ground
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup yellow onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons fennel seed
2 teaspoons sage, minced
2 teaspoons parsley leaves, minced
2 tablespoons basil leaves, minced
1/2 cup parmesan, grated
1 egg, whole
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
Marinara:
Heat a large pot over high heat. Add the olive oil and onions, and cook until the onions are translucent. Stir in garlic and cook for one minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for one to two minutes, stirring to prevent burning.
Add the red wine, scrape the caramelization from the bottom of the pot, and reduce by half. Add the San Marzano tomatoes, water, bay leaf and thyme, and bring the mixture up to a boil, stirring frequently.
Once the sauce has reached a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 45 minutes to an hour. Stir in the salt, pepper, sugar and marjoram/oregano, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for another 30-45 minutes until the sauce is thick. Stir in the butter and set the sauce aside to cool.
Cooking onions:
Heat a medium-sized sauté pan over high heat, add the olive oil and onions, and cook until they’re translucent. Once translucent, remove from the heat and allow them to cool fully.
Meatball mixture:
Add all of the ingredients into a large bowl and mix until they’re evenly distributed within the mixture.
Making the meatballs (makes 18-20):
Form the ground meat into 1 1/2-inch balls. It is OK to roll the meatballs in your hand or on the table, but do not use a lot of pressure, otherwise, your meatballs will be dense.
Cooking the meatballs:
You can add the meatballs to the marinara for the last hour of cooking if you’d like to add that flavor to the sauce. You can also bake them at 400 degrees for 12-16 minutes on a prepared baking sheet.
For the meal:
Cook 2-3 pounds of dried pasta, according to the package’s directions. Serve the cooked pasta with the meatballs and sauce, garnished with grated parmesan and fresh basil.
Bio
Alex Sazama is the vice president of food and beverage and corporate executive chef of Benson’s Restaurant Group. With 16 years at the hospitality group, Sazama has introduced Milwaukee to the global inspirations and reimagined classics that the restaurant group’s six concepts embrace. The Edison, The Bridgewater Modern Grill, Onesto, Smoke Shack, Blue Bat Kitchen & Tequilaria and AJ Bombers all showcase Sazama’s love for culinary artistry, an unyielding pursuit of excellence, and an unwavering commitment to elevating the dining landscape of Milwaukee and beyond.
Alex Sazama
Benson’s Restaurant Group
Alex Sazama
Benson’s Restaurant Group
Discover More!
Craving more delicious options to elevate your next gathering? Select from our Entrees below to discover new favorites and take your culinary experience to the next level.