Spicy Meatball Ragu with Bucatini
There is nothing better than Sunday supper meatballs. Check out our polpette recipe here . We always made a larger batch than we need just for this monday easy supper leftover dish.
Active time: 20- 30 minutes Serves: 2 for Dinner
Ingredients
- 2-3 leftover 2 oz meatballs in tomato sauce (recipe here)
- 3-4 nests of bucatini
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp capers, chopped
- 2 Calabrian chilis in oil, chopped, optional
- 1 cup spinach
- 2 tbsp cream, optional
- 3/4 cup reserved pasta water
- salt, to taste
- Parmigiano Reggiano to finish
- Breadcrumbs, optional
Method
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add enough salt so it taste like a heavily seasoned soup.
- In a large saute pan on medium-low heat, add the olive oil, chopped calabrian chilies and capers. Saute until fragrant about 2 minutes. Add the leftovers meatballs in sauce and sauté. Crubmle the meatballs until they are in larger ragu pieces. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted.
- Cook the bucatini or noodles until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- Add the bucatini and 3/4 cup of pasta water to the ragu. Bring the heat to medium and twist the noodles through the ragu with tong. Add the cream if desired and cook until thickened and coating the noodles, about 3-5 minutes.
- Top with parmigiano reggiano and breadcrumbs. Bon Appetito.
Recipe Notes:
Any thicker style noodle will work great with this dish. Bucatini, Tonnarelli and Mafaldine are our favorites. Its also delicious with short shapes like Gramigna, Strozzapreti & Gnocchetti Sardi.