Bucatini Arrabbiata with Sausage Meatballs

Bucatini Arrabbiata
with Sausage Meatballs

Prep Time: 30 Min
Cook Time: 45 - 50 Min

Yields: 4 Servings

WHAT YOU NEED

• 400g Dry Bucatini Pasta

MEATBALLS

• 4 x Beyond Meat Hot Italian Sausages
• 1/4 C Cooked Brown Rice
• 1 clove Garlic, crushed & minced
• 1/4 C Red Onion, finely diced
• 1 Tbsp. Fresh Basil, rolled & sliced (chiffonade)
• 2 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 1/4 C Pizza Mozzarella, shredded
• 1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/4 Tsp. Himalayan Salt
• Cracked Pepper

SAUCE

• 1/4 C EVOO
• 4 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
• 1 Tbsp. Pepperoncini In Oil
• 1 Tbsp. Hot Cherry Peppers, finely chopped 
• Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 Yellow Onion, finely diced
• 1 Medium Carrot, peeled & finely diced
• 1 Tbsp. Store Bought Red Pesto
• Small Handful Fresh Basil, torn
• 796ml can Whole San Marzano Tomatoes
  
• 1/2 Tsp. + Himalayan Salt

GARNISH -  Grana Padano, Fresh Basil

DIRECTIONS

• MEATBALLS - Preheat your oven to 425 F. Mix everything together in a mixing bowl until fully combined. Place parchment on a baking sheet and give it a light spray with cooking spray. Take level tablespoons of the meatball mixture and roll them in to balls. I found I had to squeeze the mixture in my hands a bit before it rolled nicely. Transfer the balls to the greased, parchment lined tray. You should have roughly 16 meatballs. Place in to the oven to bake for roughly 15 minutes, flipping halfway.

NOTE

• The cheese combined with the plant-based sausage meat made the tray undeniably greasy. I was nervous at first, but upon tasting them, they were so tasty, juicy, and fab. Don't be frightened if the tray is a bit greasy/. If you'd like, you could swap the pizza mozzarella for grana padano and that would reduce the oil on the tray a bit.

• SAUCE - Begin heating the EVOO, garlic, pepperoncini, and hot cherry peppers, in a large skillet set to just about medium. Once heated, stir and let everything sizzle together for 30 seconds before adding the onion, carrot, and a good pinch of both salt & pep. Stir and continue to cook 6 - 8 minutes, or until the veggies are tender. Sprinkle in the basil, stir in the red pesto, and continue to cook another minute or so. Pour in the tomatoes and use a potato masher to bust them up in the skillet. Fill the can of tomatoes about half way with water and swish it around to snatch all of the tomato juice / bits and pour this in to the skillet. Bring the sauce to a boil and once boiled, add the salt, reduce to a simmer, and cover for 25 - 30 minutes.​

• Once the meatballs are finished, transfer them directly to the skillet with the sauce. Stir and let the sauce continue to cook for the remainder of the full 25 - 30 mins.
• Cook your bucatini al dente according to package directions, removing them about a minute early and straining them directly to the sauce / meatball skillet. Toss the pasta with the sauce / meatballs, adding a nice ladle of pasta water to help that sauce coat everything. You may desire additional pasta water for a saucier pasta. Once the bucatini is al dente perfection, taste and season with additional salt if needed.
• Serve bucatini with 3 - 4 meatballs on top. Grate as much grana padano as you desire on each serving and finish with some fresh basil. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG