Linguine with Meatballs in Blush Tomato Asiago Sauce
Linguine with Meatballs in Blush Tomato Asiago Sauce. Juicy, tender meatballs in a deeply flavourful tomato sauce complemented with cream & asiago cheese.
Course
Dinner
Cuisine
Italian Inspired
Prep Time20minutes
Cook Time1hour10minutes
Total Time1hour30minutes
Servings8servings
Calories805kcal
AuthorBarry C. Parsons
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
1cupcoarse bread crumbs
1/4cupmilk
1poundItalian sausage meat
1poundground beef
1egg
1tspground thyme
1tspdry oregano
½tspsalt
1tspfreshly ground black pepper
3tbspolive oil for frying
For the sauce
3tbspolive oil
½minced medium onion
3clovesminced garlic
4ouncessmoked baconchopped into small pieces and fully cooked to crisp
28ozcan crushed tomatoes
19ozcan plain tomato sauce
1tspground black pepper
½tspsalt
2tsporegano
2tspbasil
2tspfennel seedor ground fennel seed
1tbsppaprika
2tbspbrown sugar
1/2cupwhipping cream
3/4cupgrated asiago cheese
Chopped basil for garnish
1pounddry linguine noodlescooked to al dente in salted water and drained.
Instructions
To prepare the meatballs
Mix together the breadcrumbs and milk until well combined.
Set aside for five minutes before adding the sausage, ground beef, egg, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper.
Form into 1 ½ inch balls and fry in the 3 tbsp olive oil over medium heat to brown them on all sides.
To prepare the sauce
Sauté together the olive oil, onion and garlic until the onions have softened but not browned. Add all of the remaining ingredients EXCEPT the whipping cream and asiago cheese.
Simmer very slowly for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, before adding the meatballs for an additional 10 minutes.
Just before serving finish the sauce by adding the whipping cream and asiago cheese.
Simmer while stirring for 5 minutes.
Serve over cooked linguine. Top with grated asiago cheese and chopped fresh basil.
Recipe Notes
Season the meatballs and very lightly. There is plenty of salt in the cheese, bacon and sausage to sufficiently season the dish.