Cheesy parmesan meatball pasta bake, with fresh basil, cherry tomatoes, and rottini pasta, smothered in a vodka marinara sauce, topped with mozzarella cheese, and served with toasted crostini, then paired with a full bodied Cab-Merlot blend.<\/p>\n
Ingredients<\/p>\n
16 oz. Rottini pasta or ziti\/penne\/rigatoni
\n24 oz. Vodka marinara sauce (see below)
\n1 lb. frozen, pre-cooked Italian meatballs\/homemade meatballs (see below)
\n8 oz. mozzarella, fresh\/shredded
\n3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
\n6-10 cherry tomatoes, halved
\n1 cup fresh ricotta (optional)<\/p>\n
Instructions<\/p>\n
Cook the pasta until just before al dente. Drain and rinse pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process.<\/p>\n
Simmer the marinara sauce over medium heat in a skillet. Add the meatballs to the skillet, coat them fully in the sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes.<\/p>\n
Combine meatballs, tomatoes, and sauce with pasta and mix well. Spoon ricotta over the top (if using). Transfer to a 9\u00d713 casserole dish and top with mozzarella cheese.<\/p>\n
Bake at 350\u00b0F for 30 minutes or until cheese has melted and is bubbly. Dish and serve hot sprinkled with chopped fresh basil. Enjoy!<\/p>\n
For the Parmesan Meatballs:<\/p>\n
Ingredients<\/p>\n
1\/2 lb. ground beef
\n1\/2 lb. Italian sausage
\n1 tablespoon garlic, minced
\n1 egg, beaten
\n1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
\n1\/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
\n1\/2 cup Parmesan, grated
\nSalt and pepper to taste<\/p>\n
Instructions<\/p>\n
Combine all the meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly with your hands<\/p>\n
Scoop out about 1 golf ball sized meatball mixture, roll it in your hands to make meatballs. I used an ice cream scoop<\/p>\n
If pan-frying: Over medium high heat, brown the meatballs in batches in some oil until evenly browned, about 5-8 minutes.
\nRemove meatballs and drain on paper towels.<\/p>\n
If baking: Bake the meatballs on a sheet pan at 425\u00b0F for 10-12 minutes<\/p>\n
For the Vodka Sauce:<\/p>\n
Ingredients<\/p>\n
4 cloves, garlic minced
\n1 medium onion, chopped
\n1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
\n3 to 4 sprigs fresh parsley (2 tablespoons or more)
\n1\/4 teaspoon salt
\n1\/4 teaspoon pepper
\n1\/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
\n1 teaspoon Basil
\n24 ounces Italian style tomato sauce
\n1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (Basil, Garlic, Oregano)
\n3 tablespoons tomato paste
\n1\/2 cup heavy whipping cream
\n1\/2 cup vodka
\nFresh basil for garnish<\/p>\n
Instructions<\/p>\n
Heat olive oil in a skillet (I do this step before browning the meatballs and use the same pan). Saut\u00e9 the garlic, onion, and parsley until the onion becomes translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. When done combine into a pot large enough to hold the vodka sauce and meatballs. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, vodka, salt, pepper, red pepper, and basil. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes or until the smell of alcohol goes away. You can tell by smelling the steam. Add the heavy cream and and stir well. Finally, add the meatballs cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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