Family Cooking Classes in Tuscany: Authentic Spaghetti & Meatballs
A great season has begun, and we couldn’t miss sharing one of our most loved recipes: Spaghetti and Meatballs. This dish is a highlight of our Family Cooking Classes, perfect for adults and kids alike.
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| Meatballs Italian Sauce |
This recipe comes straight from my Nonna, who taught me to respect every single step to make truly perfect italian meatballs.— ideal for Spaghetti, Pici or other long pasta. Small meatballs are the secret: they soak up all the pummarola (tomato sauce) and deliver the full flavor in every bite, unlike the oversized meatballs you often see abroad.
Once you return home from your holidays in Tuscany, cooking this sauce will bring back memories of:
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a sunset dinner by the seaside,
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relaxed evenings with friends after a swim in the pool,
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all the warm emotions that summer in Italy brings.
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Tips for perfect meatballs:
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Small is best: authentic Italian meatballs are small to pair perfectly with the sauce and pasta.
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Let them rest: after cooking, leave your meatballs in the sauce for at least 20 minutes. The longer they sit, the richer the flavor.
Enjoy this recipe and bring a taste of Tuscany to your kitchen — a perfect memory from your Family Cooking Classes.
Italian Meatballs Sauce for Spaghetti or “Pici”
Recipe by Erika Elia (CuocheinVacanza.com)
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) minced beef
- 5 oz (140 g) mortadella (typical Italian cold cut) or 1 Italian sausage or ham (Parma)
- 2 oz (60 g) one-day-old bread
- 1 egg
- 2 oz (60 g) grated Parmesan
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 bunch parsley
- 1 glass (120 ml) white wine
- 1 bottle (750 ml / 75 cl) Passata Tomato Puree
- 1 garlic clove
- 4 tablespoons (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 6 basil leaves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Cooking Directions
- Roughly chop the mortadella and bread.
- In a food processor, mix together: mortadella, bread, garlic clove, and parsley.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add: egg, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
- Mix all ingredients by hand, squeezing the meat thoroughly.
- Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
- Take a small portion and roll it into a small ball (~2 cm / ¾ inch). Press lightly to ensure compactness.
- Heat olive oil in a large pan with the halved garlic clove.
- Once warm, gently add the meatballs.
- After 3–4 minutes, carefully turn and cook until golden (~3 more minutes).
- Turn up the heat and pour in the white wine. Cook until the aroma disappears.
- Reduce heat to medium and add the Passata Tomato Puree, covering meatballs evenly.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook for about 15 minutes (cover with splash guard if needed).
- Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Your amazing Italian Meatballs Sauce for Spaghetti or Pici is ready to enjoy!
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