Italian
Pasta alla Teramana
by Chef Max Mariola · 1.1M subscribers on YouTube
The original Abruzzese recipe for spaghetti with small meatballs (pallottine), prepared with a soffritto of onion, carrot, and celery, a quick tomato sauce made with Pera d'Abruzzo tomatoes, and handmade spaghettini alla chitarra. The meatballs are tiny, bound with egg and pecorino, and cooked directly in the sauce.
- Difficulty
- medium
Ingredients
12 items- Olive OilExtra virgin olive oil, preferably Calabrian or Abruzzese
- OnionOne small onion, preferably from Cannara
- CeleryOne stalk of celery
- CarrotOne carrot
- GarlicOne clove, grated
- BasilA few fresh leaves
- 1/2 kgGround MeatPreferably beef or a mix of beef and pork
- 1 pcsEggLarge egg
- Pecorino RomanoGrated; use generously instead of salt
- Black PepperFreshly ground, to taste
- Pomodoro a Pera d'AbruzzoPera d'Abruzzo pear tomatoes; if unavailable, use high-quality canned crushed tomatoes
- Spaghetti alla ChitarraHandmade square-stranded pasta; or use spaghetti
Method
- Finely dice onion, carrot, and celery for the soffritto.
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, then add the soffritto and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the meatball mixture: combine minced meat, one egg, a generous amount of grated Pecorino Romano, and black pepper. Mix well with your hands.
- Form very small meatballs (pallottine), about the size of a cherry or smaller.
- Grate a clove of garlic into the soffritto and add a few basil leaves.
- Add crushed Pera d'Abruzzo tomatoes (or quality canned tomatoes) to the pan. Season with salt and cook for about 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
- Gently drop the raw meatballs into the sauce, making sure they are submerged. Cook for another 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti alla chitarra until al dente.
- When the pasta is almost ready, transfer it to the sauce using tongs, adding a splash of pasta water. Toss well to coat the pasta with the sauce.
- Add another handful of grated Pecorino Romano and toss again.
- Serve the pasta in shallow bowls, topping with extra meatballs and a generous dusting of Pecorino Romano. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh basil if desired.
Chef Max Mariola
Professional chefReviewer1.1M subscribers on YouTube400.6M total channel viewsChef italiano. Ricette cucinate a casa, focus completo sulle ricette.
