Pork Meatballs & Orzo Pasta with Calabrian-Tomato Sauce & Fennel

Step 1

1 Prep the ingredients Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and hollow green tops. Cut off and discard any stems from the fennel, then halve, core, and medium dice the bulb.

Step 2

2 Form & brown the meatballs In a bowl, combine the pork, breadcrumbs, and Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper; gently mix to combine. Shape the mixture into 10 tightly packed meatballs; transfer to a plate. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the meatballs. Cook, turning occasionally (carefully, as the oil may splatter), 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly browned on all sides.

Step 3

3 Cook the pasta Meanwhile, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 7 to 9 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly.

Step 4

4 Finish the meatballs & serve your dish Add the diced fennel to the pan of browned meatballs; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the sliced white bottoms of the scallions. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened. Add the vinegar (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring frequently and scraping up any browned bits (or fond), 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the liquid has cooked off. Add the tomato paste, 1 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter), and as much of the chile paste as you'd like, depending on how spicy you'd like the dish to be; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened and the meatballs are cooked through. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the finished meatballs and sauce over the cooked pasta. Garnish with the cheese and sliced green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!