Big Beef Balls with Bucatini

• Pine nuts
• Raisins
• 1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin for the ground veal
• Ground allspice for the nutmeg
• 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped, for the basil
• 1 pound bucatini (thick, hollow spaghetti) for the vermicelli
• 1/2 cup dry red wine for the white wine
• Crushed tomatoes for the diced tomatoes
• 2 more garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage (from 4 to 6 sprigs)
• 1/4 pound pancetta, chopped
• 12 cremini (baby portobello) mushroom caps, chopped
• 1/2 cup beef stock or broth

1. Heat a deep skillet over medium heat.
2. Cook the onions in 1 tablespoon of the EVOO (once around the pan) for 5 minutes.
3. Remove the onions and set them aside to cool.
4. In a large bowl, mix the meat with half the onions, 3 cloves of the chopped garlic, the egg, bread crumbs, cheese, allspice, capers, sage, a handful of the chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and a healthy drizzle of EVOO.
5. Score the meat into 4 sections and make 3 very large balls from each section.
6. Arrange the 12 balls on a nonstick cookie sheet and roast for 15 minutes until firm but not hard.
7. Drop the bucatini in the salted boiling water and cook until al dente.
8. Drain the pasta.
9. While the pasta and meatballs are cooking, heat another tablespoon of EVOO in the skillet in which the onions were cooked.
10. Add the pancetta and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the remaining garlic and the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.
11. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper.
12. Add the remaining onions back and deglaze the pan with the red wine, cook for 1 minute, add the beef stock, and whisk up any brown bits.
13. Stir in the tomatoes and season the sauce with salt and pepper.
14. Stir in the remaining parsley.
15. Simmer for 5 minutes.
16. Toss the pasta with half the sauce.
17. Remove the meatballs from the oven and add to the remaining sauce, turning to coat.
18. Serve 3 meatballs per person alongside the pasta.
19. Spoon any remaining sauce over the pasta.
20. Pass extra cheese at the table.
21. Serve with a green salad.

nuts, raisins, ground sirloin, ground allspice, parsley, bucatini, red wine, tomatoes, garlic, capers, fresh sage, pancetta, cremini, beef stock

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/big-beef-balls-with-bucatini-374478 (may not work)