Creamy Tomato Meatball Pasta

Instructions

1. 1

   Finely chop the onion, mince the garlic and grate the Parmesan. In a bowl, gently mix the beef, breadcrumbs, egg, 20 g Parmesan, 1 minced garlic clove, ½ teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Shape into 16 meatballs without packing them too tightly.

2. 2

   Heat the olive oil in a deep 12-inch skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and brown on several sides for 7–8 minutes. Transfer to a plate; they will finish cooking in the sauce.

3. 3

   Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in the remaining garlic and oregano for 30 seconds. Add the tomato puree, water, remaining ½ teaspoon salt and remaining ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a simmer.

4. 4

   Stir in the penne and return the meatballs and their juices to the skillet. Cover and simmer gently over medium-low heat for 18–22 minutes, stirring carefully every 3 minutes to prevent sticking, until the pasta is tender and the meatballs reach 160°F/71°C in the center.

5. 5

   Uncover, stir in the cream and simmer gently for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and fold in the remaining 20 g Parmesan. Divide among four bowls, spooning the creamy tomato sauce over each portion.