Pappardelle with Meatballs and Romanesco Broccoli

Method

1. Prepare the fresh egg pasta: mix 00 flour and semolina (¼ of total weight). Use 1 egg per 100 g flour. Form a well, incorporate eggs quickly. Knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Let rest for 30-60 minutes at room temperature.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: heat extra virgin olive oil, sauté finely chopped onion with a bay leaf. Crush canned peeled tomatoes by hand and add them. Cook for about 30 minutes.
3. Prepare the meatballs: cut stale bread into large cubes and soak in milk. Mix lean ground beef, crumbled sausage, and minced mortadella. Add one egg, grated pecorino, lemon zest, grated garlic clove, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Squeeze the bread and add to the mixture. Knead with hands until homogeneous. Form small meatballs.
4. Cook the meatballs: heat oil in a pan and fry some meatballs until golden. Add all meatballs (fried and raw) to the sauce. Cook for another 15 minutes.
5. Roll out the pasta: after resting, divide dough into pieces. Roll with a rolling pin, then pass through a pasta machine, making reinforcement folds. Roll to 3 mm thickness (third level). Let strips dry for 10-15 minutes. Roll each strip and cut into 2 cm wide pappardelle.
6. Cook the broccoli: bring salted water to a boil, add Romanesco broccoli florets (including leaves). Cook for 7-8 minutes, al dente.
7. Cook the pasta: add pappardelle to the broccoli cooking water and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain well (without retaining too much water).
8. Assemble: place pasta in a serving dish, add generous amount of sauce and meatballs, sprinkle with pecorino. Add broccoli pieces. Gently mix to combine.