Venison Meatballs Marsala

Venison meatballs served with spaghetti and a creamy Marsala mushroom sauce.

Ingredients

• Meatballs — 1 lb Ground Venison
• Meatballs — ½ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• Meatballs — ½ cup Milk
• Meatballs — 4 Garlic Cloves Minced
• Meatballs — ½ cup Onion Minced
• Meatballs — ½ cup Fresh Parsley Minced
• Meatballs — 2 Large Eggs
• Meatballs — ½ cup grated Parmesan
• Meatballs — 1 tsp Dried Oregano
• Meatballs — 2 tsp Kosher Salt
• Meatballs — 1½ tsp Coarse Ground Black Pepper
• Meatballs — Extra Virgin Olive Oil for Frying
• Pasta and Marsala Sauce — ½ lb Spaghetti
• Pasta and Marsala Sauce — 8 oz Baby Bella Mushrooms Thinly Sliced
• Pasta and Marsala Sauce — 4 oz Oyster Mushrooms Chopped
• Pasta and Marsala Sauce — 8 oz Shiitake Mushroom Thinly Sliced
• Pasta and Marsala Sauce — 4 Garlic Cloves Thinly Sliced
• Pasta and Marsala Sauce — 1 cup Marsala Wine
• Pasta and Marsala Sauce — 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• Pasta and Marsala Sauce — 2 cups Beef Broth
• Pasta and Marsala Sauce — 1 Tbsp Salted Butter Softened
• Pasta and Marsala Sauce — 1 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour
• Pasta and Marsala Sauce — 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Pasta and Marsala Sauce — Kosher Salt to Taste
• Pasta and Marsala Sauce — Coarse Ground Black Pepper to Taste
• Pasta and Marsala Sauce — Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese

Method

1. MAKE THE MEATBALLS: Heat the oven to 375°F and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Soak the panko in the milk for 15 minutes. Gently mix with the venison, minced garlic and onion, parsley, eggs, Parmesan, oregano, salt and pepper. Shape into meatballs and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
2. BROWN AND BAKE: Heat about ¼ inch olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in two batches. Transfer to a baking dish and finish in the oven for about 10–15 minutes, until cooked through.
3. COOK THE MUSHROOMS: Remove most of the frying fat. Add the 2 Tbsp sauce olive oil and sliced garlic. Cook until the garlic is golden, then add all the mushrooms and cook for 3–5 minutes.
4. MAKE THE MARSALA SAUCE: Add the Marsala and reduce by half. Add the broth and bring to a simmer, then add the cream and return to a simmer. Mix the softened butter and flour into a paste and whisk it into the sauce to thicken. Reduce to low and add the meatballs, coating them in the sauce.
5. FINISH THE PASTA: Cook the spaghetti until just short of al dente. Transfer the meatballs to a serving dish. Add the spaghetti to the sauce and cook for a few minutes, adding pasta water a little at a time as needed. Serve with the meatballs and Pecorino Romano.