Chef Kevin Belton's Spaghetti & Meatballs

NEW ORLEANS — Over the course of its 300-year history, New Orleans’ cuisine has been one of its greatest gifts to the world. Now, as we celebrate the city’s 300th birthday and WWL-TV’s 60th anniversary, our gift to you is a free e-cookbook, with 'Family Favorite' recipes.

Click here to download the free "Family Favorites" cookbook

This cookbook series celebrates New Orleans’ family favorites recipes, to coincide with the city’s tricentennial. What better way to commemorate 300 years of life in the city we love than by celebrating the thing that truly unites us all: food.

Red Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 cups yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 head garlic, peeled and sliced
• 1 tsp. freshly crackled pepper
• 1 tsp. white pepper
• 3 bay leaves
• 6 oz. tomato paste
• 32 oz. cooked tomatoes, peeled, seeded and pureed
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
• 3 Tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
• 3 Tbsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large stockpot. Sauté onions until cooked and translucent, about 10 minutes add garlic and continue to sauté for 2 minutes until your smell that garlicky deliciousness. Add the peppers and bay leaves and continue to sauté for 1 minute.
2. Add tomato paste and stir thoroughly. Cook until the mixture begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add stock and remaining ingredients. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Stir occasionally.

Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup Italian parsley, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1 Tbsp. Creole seasoning
• 1/2 lb. ground veal
• 1/2 lb. ground pork
• 1/2 lb. ground round
• 2 quarts Red Gravy

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine eggs, breadcrumbs, cheese, milk, parsley, garlic and onion. Mix thoroughly. Add salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning, and continue to mix.
3. Crumble meats to combine, but do so lightly. Add meats to egg mixture and mix well.
4. Lightly shape mixture into gold ball-size meatballs. Be careful to make meatballs loosely. If you pack the tightly, they will become tough. Bake for 20 minutes until cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Remove from oven and simmer in red gravy for 5 minutes. 
5. Serve with your favorite pasta.

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Watch Chef Kevin Belton every Tuesday morning on Eyewitness Morning News on WWL-TV and WUPL.