Monday Eats - Meatballs Mac and Cheese

This is NOT low cal or low fat, but it's super duper comfort food.  If you're going to share the meatballs with your dog, leave out the onion!  If you are cooking for a smaller household, it's easy to cut in half, just use an 8 x 8 pan and reduce oven bake time by 5 minutes.

Meatballs        

            1 pound ground sirloin or turkey

            1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

            1/3 cup grated Romano cheese

            1 large egg

            1/3 onion, finely chopped (optional)

            A pinch of ground nutmeg

            1/4 teaspoon allspice

            Pinch of crushed red pepper

            1/4 teaspoon sea salt

            1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

            Splash of milk (2-3 Tablespoons)

 Sauce

            2 teaspoons flour
            1 cup bone broth (or beef broth)

            1 pint of heavy cream

            1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

            ¼ tsp black pepper, salt to taste

            2 and 1/4 cups uncooked pasta

            1 and 1/4 cup freshly grated gruyere cheese   

            2 pinches of nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. and lightly spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs. Using your hands lightly mix, JUST until mixed, do not overdo.

Using a large spoon, scoop out meat and roll into balls and place on a plate or cookie sheet.

Cook your pasta in salted water, 2 minutes less than the instructions, drain and set aside.

In a cast iron skillet heat a tablespoon of oil until hot, and add the meatballs a third at a time so they aren’t crowded, browning on all sides.  They don’t have to be cooked through, as they will finish in the oven. Remove from pan to large bowl. leaving browned bits.

Add flour to the skillet on medium heat, stirring until you have a paste that's slightly nutty and brown, adding a bit more oil if needed.  Stir in bone or beef broth, heavy cream, and Worcestershire sauce and stir to scrape the brown bits at the bottom of the skillet.  Simmer the sauce on medium heat for 10 minutes while whisking constantly.

Add the drained pasta to the bowl with the meatballs, stirring to distribute the meatballs. Place in pan.  Pour the sauce over the top and sprinkle with cheese and nutmeg. Bake for 25-30 minutes until cooked through and cheese is melted.