Orecchiette with Pork Meatballs

Ah, January. The month of packed gyms, New Year's resolutions and pressed juices as we all try to reverse the fact that we have been gorging on charcuterie boards and pies for the past month and a half. I honestly have never been one to make resolutions, as I have mentioned before, because I think that we should always be eating in a balanced way.

My friend Kate was coming over for dinner and I asked her what she was hankerin for, and she said pizza or pasta. I've been trying to live the gluten free life so I tried to make this recipe by keeping it all GF, which was not hard. Needless to say, this is the part of the balance that is NAHHHTT on the healthy side, but that shit was WORTH IT. I don't think I have ever made a meal where there truly no leftovers, so I was shocked to find that... there were none. Oopsies! Time to hit dat gym tomorrow full speed ahead.

I did adjust the original recipe, because I think that veal is disgusting, but to each their own! If you want to eat baby cows, you have the right to do so. #America

I also HATE mushrooms, but I decided to give these maitakes a whirl because they're much different than the pieces of dirt that people put on pizza (shiitakes, I am looking at you). Adjust however you wish for yourself!

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces smoked bacon (I used half of a pack of the bacon ends from Trader Joe's)
  16 ounces ground pork
  8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  1 onion, halved, divided
  1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs (I cut up two pieces of gluten free bread)
  1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
  1/8 teaspoon hot smoked Spanish paprika
  1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
  1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more
  2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  12 ounces orecchiette
  5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  8 ounces maitake mushrooms, tough stems removed, torn into pieces
  1 bunch Tuscan kale, ribs and stems removed, leaves chopped
  Finely grated Parmesan (for serving)

Directions:

1. Place a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 375. Chop bacon until very finely chopped. Add pork to bacon and mix with your hands to combine.

2. Chop garlic cloves and half of the onion until finely chopped. Add one-fourth of meat mixture along with breadcrumbs, coriander, red pepper flakes, allspice, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon, black pepper and mix with hands. 

3. Transfer to bowl with remaining meat mixture. Mix briefly with your hands until uniform in texture.

4. Working one at a time, form mixture into golf ball–size portions (about 3 tablespoonfuls each); roll between your palms, pressing lightly to compact. Place meatballs in a broil-proof baking dish; pour broth over. Cook until meatballs are firm to the touch, 20-25 minutes. Heat broiler. Broil meatballs until browned, about 5 minute.

5. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain and toss in a medium bowl with 1 tablespoon oil.

6. Meanwhile, thinly slice remaining onion half. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium. Cook mushrooms, half of sliced onion, and half of chopped garlic, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and beginning to crisp around the edges, about 8 minutes; season with salt and black pepper. Transfer mushroom mixture to a plate.

7. Wipe out skillet. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil over medium and cook kale and remaining onion and chopped garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until kale is tender but not limp, about 4 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to plate with mushroom mixture.

8. Wipe out skillet again and heat remaining 2 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Cook pasta undisturbed 1 minute (you want it to fry in the oil, resulting in crisp edges); toss pasta. Repeat process several times until pasta is well-crisped.

9. Add sliced garlic and mushroom-kale mixture to pasta; season with black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until heated through, about 2 minutes. Transfer pasta to a large bowl. Arrange meatballs on top of pasta and ladle hot cooking liquid over. Top with Parmesan.