Spicy Meatballs and Marinara

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Makes 8 meatballs and 5 cups sauce; enough for 1 pound pasta

Cooking Time 4 to 5 hours on Low

Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: To up the ante on this satisfying Italian classic, we decided to infuse our dish with some heat and spice. A couple cans of tomato puree plus some tomato paste, garlic, and oregano provided a sauce with depth and the right consistency; a bit of sugar balanced the acidity of the tomatoes. For the meatballs, convenient meatloaf mix offered hearty flavor, and a panade (a mixture of bread crumbs and milk) kept them moist. Chopped pepperoncini and red pepper flakes delivered a solid punch of heat. To prevent our sauce from being greasy, we found it necessary to microwave the meatballs before transferring them to the slow cooker; this worked to render excess fat and also helped to firm up the meatballs so they didn’t fall apart in the slow cooker. Meatloaf mix is a prepackaged mix of ground beef, pork, and veal; if it’s unavailable, use 8 ounces each of ground pork and 85 percent lean ground beef. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

1	pound meatloaf mix
½	cup panko bread crumbs
¼	cup whole milk
¼	cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼	cup sliced pepperoncini, chopped fine
2	tablespoons minced garlic
2	teaspoons dried oregano
¾	teaspoon red pepper flakes
	Salt and pepper
2	(28-ounce) cans tomato puree
2	tablespoons tomato paste
2	tablespoons soy sauce
1	teaspoon sugar

1. Using hands, mix meatloaf mix, panko, milk, Parmesan, pepperoncini, 1 tablespoon garlic, 1 teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper together in bowl until uniform. Pinch off and roll mixture into 2-inch meatballs (about 8 meatballs total) and arrange on large plate. Microwave meatballs until fat renders and meatballs are firm, about 5 minutes.

2. Combine tomato puree, tomato paste, sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, remaining 1 tablespoon garlic, and remaining 1 teaspoon oregano in slow cooker. Transfer microwaved meatballs to slow cooker, discarding rendered fat. Cover and cook until meatballs are tender, 4 to 5 hours on low.

3. Using large spoon, skim excess fat from surface of sauce. Season with salt, pepper, and extra sugar to taste and serve.