Farfalle Pasta with Chicken Meatballs and Sauce

I think that tomato pasta sauce is one of the easiest things to make.  It quick and easy and delicious.  It's one of my favorite meals of all time.  Spaghetti and meatballs relates to the kid in us.  Who didn't just love it when you were a kid.  I can't think of any child that didn't love spaghetti and meatballs.  Sometimes I use spaghetti pasta but tonight I am using farfalle.  That is the little bowtie shaped pasta.  That is nothing as good as fresh homemade pasta which I think I will make someday soon for you but, as easy as it is to make it is very messy!  There is flour everywhere!  For tonight I will be using dried pasta from the store.

Meatball ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. of Ground Chicken, Pork or Beef.  ( I use Chicken because it makes a lighter mealballs and less fat)
1 Egg
1 Rounded Tbs. of Dijon Mustard
2 Tbs. of Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbs. of Dried Parsley Flakes
1 small jar of Pimentos
2 Shallots chopped
2 to 3 Banana Peppers or Pepperoncinis chopped
1 Cup of Bread crumbs (I like to use Panko Bread Crumbs)
Salt and Pepper
(If you like a little heat or spice you can add red pepper flakes or Tobasco or both!)

Mix all the ingredients together with your hands (Yuck!) or a wooden spoon.  Hands is the best and easiest way to mix and form the meatballs.  Heat up you Staub 5.5 quart pot over medium high heat with a couple tablespoons of olive oil. (I told you I use this pot all-the-time!)  When the oil is hot but not smoking start forming the meatballs with your hands and arrange them in the pot evenly over the bottom.  Let them brown on side and turn to brown on the other side.  Once they have been turned you can drop the heat to low cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  The pot has enough heat to brown the other side.

Remove the meatballs and set aside.

Now it's time to make the sauce.  Here are the ingredients you will need.

Sauce Ingredients:
1 Medium Yellow Onion chopped
8 oz of Mushrooms quartered. (Cutting the mushrooms this way gives them a meatier more substancial texture)
2 Tbs of Olive Oil
1 tsp of each of the following seasonings
- Basil
- Oregano
- Parsley flakes
- Thyme
- Salt
1/2 tsp of Rosemary and black pepper
1 cup of Red Wine
1 29 oz can of Diced Tomatoes
1 29 oz can of Tomato Puree (I love working with tomato puree!)

Heat up you Staub pot with the oil and saute the onions and mushrooms with all the seasonings.  When the onions are clear and the mushrooms are soft add the red wine to deglaze the pot.  This brings up all the flavor.  Add the tomato puree and diced tomatoes and stir.  Add the meatballs back in and simmer for about 30 minutes longer and serve with your favorite shaped pasta.

Enjoy!!!!!!

Have a great little chopped salad with a light oil and sherry vinegar dressing.