Classic Neapolitan Broken Ziti with Mini Meatballs

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Ziti spezzati—ziti pasta snapped into short pieces by hand—is the everyday pasta shape of Naples, where cooks break dry ziti before boiling so every piece catches the sauce. In this home-style Neapolitan recipe, the broken pasta is tossed with tiny pan-fried meatballs, a quick San Marzano tomato sauce, and torn fresh mozzarella for a melty, comforting Sunday lunch.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 620 kcalCalories
• 22 gFat
• 8 gSaturated Fat
• 68 gCarbs
• 5 gFiber
• 9 gSugar
• 35 gProtein
• 720 mgSodium
• 780 mgPotassium
• 280 mgCalcium
• 5 mgIron
• 18 mgVitamin C
• 450 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the mini meatballs

• 8 oz (225 g) ground beef (or beef and pork mix)
• 1/3 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 small garlic clove, grated to a paste
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the tomato sauce and pasta

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
• 1 (28 oz / 800 g) can San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more for the pasta water
• 8 fresh basil leaves, torn
• 1 lb (450 g) dry ziti pasta, broken by hand into 2-inch pieces
• 8 oz (225 g) fresh fior di latte or low-moisture mozzarella, torn into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving

Directions

1. Make the meatballs: In a bowl, combine the ground meat, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmigiano, parsley, garlic paste, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands just until uniform, then roll into small marble-sized balls about 3/4 inch across (you should have roughly 32 to 36).
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer and brown them on all sides, 5 to 6 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
3. Make the sauce: Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the same skillet with the smashed garlic and cook over medium-low heat for 1 minute until fragrant and just turning golden. Discard the garlic.
4. Pour in the hand-crushed tomatoes, add the salt, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 12 to 15 minutes until the sauce thickens and the oil separates slightly at the edges. Stir in the torn basil, return the meatballs and any juices to the pan, and simmer 3 more minutes to warm through.
5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the broken ziti pieces and cook until al dente, stirring a few times so the shorter pieces do not clump, about 9 to 11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
6. Add the drained ziti directly into the skillet with the sauce and meatballs. Toss vigorously over low heat, splashing in reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time, until the sauce clings to every piece and everything is glossy and well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes.
7. Off the heat, scatter the torn mozzarella and the 1/3 cup Parmigiano over the pasta. Stir once so the cheese begins to melt into silky strands without disappearing completely, then cover the pan for 1 minute to let the mozzarella soften.
8. Divide among warm bowls, finish with another grating of Parmigiano and a few extra basil leaves, and serve immediately while the cheese is still stretchy.

Cook’s Notes

• Breaking the ziti by hand rather than measuring is the soul of this dish; irregular lengths and rough edges grab the sauce better than perfectly cut tubes.
• If fresh fior di latte is very wet, pat the torn pieces with a paper towel before adding so the pasta does not turn soupy.
• For a richer Sunday version, stir 1/2 cup of fresh ricotta into the finished pasta before adding the mozzarella.
• Use San Marzano tomatoes if you can; their sweet, low-acid flavor is what makes Neapolitan red sauces taste like Naples.
• Reserve more pasta water than you think you will need; the starch is essential for binding the sauce to the broken ziti.

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