Enough for a Crowd: Spaghetti and Meatballs

Every Tuesday night in forever so long, those who live on the Farm host friends and family for a night of togetherness and prayer. Some nights there is scarcely more than the Farmer and his own family, but last night there were nineteen souls present. And what does one feed nineteen souls when one has tomatoes come in and a freezer full of pork and lamb?

Why, spaghetti and meatballs, of course.

And that’s just what they do. Fifty-seven meatballs are served (not counting the two stolen by the Farmer the second they’re out of the oven), and a pot of Sauce. Now, I know you’ve heard about the Sauce, and I promise you will be given that particular recipe, but not today. Today it’s all about the Meatballs.

Now, when you have this many people over, there are bound to be some food issues, and the Farmer’s Wife does her best to do right by each and every person who enters her house, so a few meatballs were set aside eggless and cheeseless. But for the rest, here’s how she made them:

Ground pork, lamb, and beef, are mixed until all is well and blended. For fifty-nine meatballs, the Farmer’s Wife used two pounds of each, but please divide this number if you’re feeding just your family and yourself. To this three eggs were added, a bag of garlic and cheese croutons ground fine (this is really the secret of the Meatball–it makes them so good!), a tablespoons of each: Oregano, Thyme, Garlic, and Basil–fresh if you have it. And if it is fresh, make sure you put in a bit more, double, I’d say. A teaspoon of salt and one of pepper, black and red is put in next, along with a cup of freshly and finely grated parmesan cheese.

Now, the Farmer’s Wife got her hands in there good, so so should you. It’s the only way to make a right and proper Meatball. No spoons allowed!

Once all looks the same throughout, the balls themselves need to be formed. Now’s the time to get the kids–because no one knows how to make a meatball like a child. Now, you may have forgotten, and if so, watch a child for a minute or two and you will soon remember all. But please be warned, most (not all) children need to be reminded to wash their hands, and now is the time for that, both before and after.

Before you go and feel all left out, let me assure you–you are needed! Because (in this instance) size matters. The meatballs should be made up of about two tablespoons of meat-mixture, but a child is bound to make their meatballs in a variety of sizes and shapes, and it will be your job to step in and steal a bit from a giant and add it to a wee one. When the child happens to ask what you are doing and why, stand up tall and say, as the Farmer does (and did as he stole those two meatballs) that you are in charge of Quality Control.

Once all the meat is in ball form, they are placed on a cookie sheet tray, but these are not cookies, they can be close together, and they’ll need to be in order to fit fifty-nine of them on! Actually, the Farmer’s Wife needed two trays to accomplish the task. The trays are placed in a preheated 350 degree oven and baked until sizzling, about 25 minutes.

If they’re not cooked straight through, no worries, they’ll finish their cooking when they’re in the Sauce. And that’s just where they go once they come out of the oven–into the pot of Sauce that’s been simmering on the stove for hours and hours.

Now quit your fussing about that Sauce, I’m sure the kind you make is just fine. The Farmer’s Wife will share the recipe in due time. For now, just enjoy some really, really good meatballs.