Spaghetti With Potato Balls

Ingredients:

For Potato balls:

• 1 cups mashed potato
• 3/4 cup white onion, diced
• 1/3 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Italian fine breadcrumbs 
• 2 tsp chopped garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp fine black pepper
• 1/2 tsp chili powder (or 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes)
• 1/4 cup any shreded cheese
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, for saute

For Spaghetti:

• spaghetti pasta (any variety)
• marinara sauce 
• chopped basil or parsley 
•  Parmesan or any cheese 

Method:

• In a large saute pan, over high heat, add 1 Tbsp of olive oil. When oil is hot add in the onions,  parsley and garlic. Saute for about 4-5 minutes, reducing heat to medium about a minute after cooking.
• When the saute mixture has reduced in volume quite a bit and onions caramelizing add  salt, chili powder, pepper and any additional spices you may like to add. 
• Fold the saute mixture into the mashed potato. Then fold in the bread crumbs and the cheese. Your mixture should be quite sticky and thick now. Add more bread crumbs if mixture needs thick.
• You can either place your mixture in the fridge to chill for a half hour to help with handling.
• Heat up your pasta water pot and also pour your pasta sauce into a large oven-friendly dish. Place the pasta sauce dish in a 350 degree oven to heat.
• Saute potato balls: Heat a splash of olive oil in your saute pan and add your formed balls. Roll formed balls in a bit of the bread crumbs before placing on the pan. Cook over medium-high heat for about one minute on each side. 
• Drop  pasta into the pot when the water is boiling. Cook until tender. Drain and toss warm pasta with some red pepper flakes (optional) and olive oil. Spoon about 1 cup of the pasta sauce over top the pasta and toss well. Set aside, covered for now.
• Take your sauteed balls and carefully place them in the hot pasta sauce dish. Then place the pasta dish back in the oven to braise the balls for at least 20 minutes. Oven heat can be 350 degrees. Do not cover the dish.
• Now for assembly: Carefully remove the braised balls from the sauce and set aside. Then in a large bowl or your serving bowl, toss the hot pasta sauce with the warm pasta. Or you can just pour sauce over top pasta and not toss. Add balls over top to serve.
• Freshly chopped parsley or basil & cheese.