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Mexican Pasta with Tomatillo Sauce and Meatballs

Tomatillos look like green tomatoes, but they’re not. They are related to gooseberries and they are sour to taste. This dish is a funky, fun twist on spaghetti and meatballs. It’s crazy—crazy good!

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

Coarse salt
1 pound fettuccine

Meatballs

Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
1 pound ground pork or chicken
1 egg
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme (from 5 to 6 sprigs)
3 scallions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon allspice
A few dashes of hot sauce
Coarse black pepper

Sauce

2 tablespoons EVOO
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 jalapeños, fully seeded and very thinly sliced
1 cup Mexican beer or chicken stock
20 tomatillos, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grated Manchego cheese
Crusty bread

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water and cook the pasta al dente.

    Step 2

    While the pasta works, add a generous drizzle of EVOO to a mixing bowl. Place the meat in the bowl. Add the egg, bread crumbs, cilantro, the thyme, scallions, allspice, hot sauce, salt, and pepper, and mix to combine. Form 2-inch meatballs and arrange on a rimmed nonstick cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

    Step 3

    While the meatballs bake, make the sauce. Heat a deep-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons of EVOO (twice around the pan), the garlic, onions, and jalapeños. Cook for 5 minutes, add the beer or stock, and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatillos and the cilantro, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender and saucy, about 10 minutes.

    Step 4

    To serve, toss the drained pasta with the sauce and meatballs and the Manchego cheese. Olé! Pass crusty bread for mopping.

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