Ingredients

  • 2 ounces smoked bacon (about 4 slices), frozen
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more
  • ½ cup dried breadcrumbs
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • 8 ounces ground pork
  • 8 ounces ground veal
  • 1 bunch Tuscan kale, ribs and stems removed, leaves chopped
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 8 ounces maitake mushrooms, tough stems removed, torn into pieces
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 onion, halved, divided
  • 12 ounces orecchiette
  • ⅛ teaspoon hot smoked Spanish paprika
  • Finely grated Parmesan (for serving)
  • ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 8 garlic cloves, 2 whole, 4 finely chopped, 2 thinly sliced

Ready In 45 Minutes

Servings: 4

Cooking Instructions

Step 1

  • Place a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 37
  • EQUIPMENT:

Step 2

  • Pulse bacon in a food processor, scraping down sides as needed, until very finely chopped, about 1 minute; transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer and wipe out food processor.
  • INGREDIENTS:
  • EQUIPMENT:
  • Length: 1 minutes

Step 3

  • Add veal and pork to bacon and mix with your hands to combine. Pulse whole garlic cloves and half of onion in food processor until finely chopped.
  • INGREDIENTS:
  • EQUIPMENT:

Step 4

  • Add one-fourth of meat mixture along with breadcrumbs, milk, coriander, red pepper flakes, allspice, paprika, 1 tsp. salt, and tsp. black pepper and process until well blended, about 1 minute.
  • INGREDIENTS:
  • Length: 1 minutes

Step 5

  • Transfer to bowl with remaining meat mixture.
  • INGREDIENTS:
  • EQUIPMENT:

Step 6

  • Mix briefly on low speed with paddle attachment until uniform in texture, about 1 minute. Working one at a time, form mixture into golf ballsize portions (about 3-tablespoonfuls each); roll between your palms, pressing lightly to compact.
  • INGREDIENTS:
  • Length: 1 minutes

Step 7

  • Place meatballs in a broilproof 11x9" baking dish; pour broth over. Cook until meatballs are firm to the touch, 1820 minutes.
  • INGREDIENTS:
  • EQUIPMENT:
  • Length: 1820 minutes

Step 8

  • Heat broiler. Broil meatballs until browned, about 1 minute.Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente.
  • INGREDIENTS:
  • EQUIPMENT:
  • Length: 1 minutes

Step 9

  • Drain and toss in a medium bowl with 1 Tbsp. oil.Meanwhile, thinly slice remaining onion half.
  • INGREDIENTS:
  • EQUIPMENT:

Step 10

  • Heat 1 Tbsp. 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 5 minutes; season with salt and black pepper.
  • INGREDIENTS:
  • EQUIPMENT:
  • Length: 5 minutes

Step 11

  • Transfer mushroom mixture to a plate.Wipe out skillet.
  • INGREDIENTS:
  • EQUIPMENT:

Step 12

  • 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.
  • INGREDIENTS:
  • Length: 4 minutes

Step 13

  • Transfer to plate with mushroom mixture.Wipe out skillet again and heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil over medium-high. Cook pasta undisturbed 1 minute (you want it to fry in the oil, resulting in lovely crisp edges); toss pasta. Repeat process several times until pasta is well-crisped.
  • INGREDIENTS:
  • EQUIPMENT:
  • Length: 1 minutes

Step 14

  • Add sliced garlic and mushroom-kale mixture to pasta; season with black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until heated through, about 2 minutes.
  • INGREDIENTS:
  • Length: 2 minutes

Step 15

  • Transfer pasta to a large bowl. Arrange meatballs on top of pasta and ladle hot cooking liquid over. Top with Parmesan.Do Ahead: Meatballs can be formed 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
  • INGREDIENTS:
  • EQUIPMENT: