That’s SO Jenn’s Spaghetti Stuffed Meatball *As Seen on The Rachael Ray Show*

*As seen on Buzzfeed, Food and Wine & The Rachael Ray Show!*

Ladies and gentleman, this is a lesson in going for your dreams. To some, it’s getting another degree or managing a company. For me, it was making a three-pound meatball stuffed with spaghetti. It’s always good to have a goal.

I have had this idea on my mind for a while, knowing it was either going to be the greatest creation in the whole entire universe or the most ridiculous concoction I had ever attempted. There was only one way to find out.

So I gathered supplies, did a few stretches for good measure, and got to work on this rigorous event. It began by stirring together my homemade sauce..simmering and tasting–before moving on to form the largest round meat mountain you could imagine–molding and hoping.

A beautiful combination of organic ground beef, diced yellow onion, fresh parsley, Italian
breadcrumbs, worcestershire sauce, egg, parmesan cheese and a secret ingredient my mom taught me about (spoiler alert, it’s seltzer) all came together just begging to make history.

I divided the mixture into two portions, while Hubby helped shape one of them into a vessel (think bread bowl). I then filled it with a generous helping of sauce bathed spaghetti. The second half created a cover, which was used to help form one giant ball. I baked it in a glass bowl to help keep its shape, with a spoonful of sauce at the bottom for added moisture and flavor. A little over an hour later, with the help of a meat thermometer, it was time to test my experiment.

After successfully inverting it onto a plate, I knew this was going to be something good. It truly looked just how I envisioned! I spooned the remaining sauce over top, sprinkled on some mozzarella cheese, then smiled as I arrived at this long-awaited moment. With bated breath, I slid my knife down the center. It felt like someone had handed me the super-sized shears at a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Dahn dah dah dahhhh….SUCCESS! Angel hair pasta perfectly filled the tender, seasoned meatball. Best of all, it tasted delicious.

This showstopper will be the hit of the night next time your family sits down to eat, or you invite guests over for a modern twist on the classic spaghetti and meatballs! Moral of the story? Go for your goals. If nothing else, at least you’ll have dinner.

Ingredients:

For meatball 

3 lbs organic ground beef, 80% lean (lower fat content won’t work as well)

½ yellow onion, diced

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

2 eggs

1 tablespoon plain seltzer

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup Italian breadcrumbs

¼ cup pecorino romano cheese

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

For sauce

1 (28 oz.) can Tuttorosso tomato sauce

1 (28 oz.) can Tuttorosso crushed tomatoes with basil

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 pinch crushed red pepper

6 basil leaves, cut into chiffonade

1 teaspoon dried oregano

You will also need:

1 lb angel hair pasta

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

Boil water for spaghetti and saute olive oil with crushed garlic over medium heat.

Add tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes.

Bring to a boil and add basil,

Kosher salt,

Crushed red pepper,

And oregano,

Stir together and allow to simmer on low.

Prepare pasta until al dente (just shy of fully cooked–instructions on box), drain and set aside 2 cups worth.

Mix the two cups of pasta with sauce.

Place your ground beef into a large bowl,

Add diced onion,

Fresh parsley,

Crushed garlic,

TWO eggs (only one pictured),

Seltzer,

Breadcrumbs,

Kosher salt,

And worcestershire sauce.

Remove all jewelry and get your hands in there to mix everything together.

Form into two equal portions.

Hollow one out, almost like a bread bowl, and fill with 2 cups of spaghetti coated in sauce.

Using the other half, cover the pasta, and mold until you create a giant meat ball. This will take some manipulating.

Spray a large oven safe bowl with nonstick cooking spray.

Add about a 1/2 cup of sauce.

Place meatball in the bowl and continue to shape it.

Cover with foil, leaving some lifted to vent.

Bake for about an hour and ten minutes at 350º or until a meat thermometer reaches 160º. Oven can be raised to 400º to move the process along.

Carefully drain liquid.

Invert meatball by placing a plate on top of the bowl, then flipping it over using two hands.

Ahh, it happened– a giant meatball!

Top with sauce.

 Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Using a large knife, slice the meatball down the center to reveal the spaghetti filling.

 Voila!

Watch my latest TV segment here!

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