Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
- 0.5 lb ground pork
- 0.5 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 0.25 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.75 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 0.125 tsp ground nutmeg
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- 1 lb fettuccine or spaghetti
- 0.5 cup reserved pasta water
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, combine the panko and whole milk, letting it sit for 2 minutes until it forms a paste.
- Add the ground beef, ground pork, egg, minced garlic, 0.25 cup of the Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands just until combined. Note: Over mixing will squeeze out the air and make the meatballs tough.
- Shape the mixture into 1.5 ounce balls (about the size of a golf ball). Heat a tablespoon of oil in your skillet over medium high heat. Cook 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally, until a deep brown crust forms on all sides. They don't need to be cooked through yet; they will finish in the sauce.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fettuccine according to the package directions. Drain when it's al dente, but make sure you scoop out at least 0.5 cup of the starchy water before pouring it down the drain.
- Wipe the excess grease from the skillet, leaving the brown bits (the fond). Add the butter and let it melt, then pour in the heavy cream, garlic powder, and nutmeg. Simmer for 2 minutes until bubbles form around the edges.
- Lower the heat to low and whisk in the remaining 1.5 cups of Parmesan cheese one handful at a time. Whisk constantly until the sauce is smooth and glossy. If it looks too thick, splash in a little of that pasta water.
- Add the meatballs back into the sauce to finish cooking. Once they reach an internal temp of 160°F, add the cooked pasta to the pan. Toss gently for 1 minute so the sauce can penetrate the pasta strands. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.