I don't know, it doesn't look bad from here. Appearance and taste are not always present at the same time. Plating and presentation is also an art. Sometimes some foods just need a good pairing to offset something missing. (you could have paired with some veggies or a salad, and also some decent red)

In this case, you could have added some cheese, some cream, maybe a dash of brown sugar (always a secret ingredient in pasta sauces), some butter even if it was too dry.

The pasta, the sauce, and the meatballs all stand on their own as ingredients. The pasta is simple enough; boiled in some salt water, with perhaps a bit of oil, don't over cook, you want al Dante' not too soft no too hard.

The sauce, you said is packaged, ragu. Can't do no harm there. Salt and pepper to taste, however if you put too much pepper, oops, and better luck next time.

Lean pork would perhaps make your meatballs dryer than preferred, but not necessarily affect the overall taste. Broken up and eaten with sauce, it should be fine. When mixing up meats for meatballs, its best to not use lean meats, and if the main cut is lean, add in some fatty meats, as another poster said, bacon is a great choice. Also, you can add some oil and some egg, and also some spices before mixing and forming the balls. You can precook in butter or tallow or lard if you like.

We are not born knowing how to cook. Eat your experiments, and the more you do it, the better you will get. Its not only necessary, it can be very fun. We have to do it anyhow, why not make friends with the process.

RickyBobby wrote: ↑Wed Feb 20, 2019 2:15 ambacon is a great choice.

Am I the only person in the whole wide world that absolutely hates bacon?

hanno wrote: ↑Wed Feb 20, 2019 4:41 am

RickyBobby wrote: ↑Wed Feb 20, 2019 2:15 ambacon is a great choice.

Am I the only person in the whole wide world that absolutely hates bacon?

Well, obviously not, however I cant recall anyone else telling me they don't like it. Well, maybe my GF now that I think about it. But, for in a mix of ground meat, would you notice its there? Would be just as good to use ground pork belly then, or just plain pork fat must be able to be purchased on its own at the markets?

BTW, I see you like to make your own pasta; good on you. But am surprised you don't use the KA attachment for that?

RickyBobby wrote: ↑Wed Feb 20, 2019 5:59 am

hanno wrote: ↑Wed Feb 20, 2019 4:41 am

RickyBobby wrote: ↑Wed Feb 20, 2019 2:15 ambacon is a great choice.

Am I the only person in the whole wide world that absolutely hates bacon?

Well, obviously not, however I cant recall anyone else telling me they don't like it. Well, maybe my GF now that I think about it. But, for in a mix of ground meat, would you notice its there? Would be just as good to use ground pork belly then, or just plain pork fat must be able to be purchased on its own at the markets?

BTW, I see you like to make your own pasta; good on you. But am surprised you don't use the KA attachment for that?

I started rolling pasta by hand before I bought the KA; kind of stuck I guess.

I do not use lean cuts for meat balls and the like; no need to add fat. Agreed, I probably wouldn't notice it though but would not use it myself.

Definitely will try with the additional ingredients the next go... Wish the stuff wasnt overly expensive but yah cant do anything when its all imported... Oddly enough i was expecting the pasta to be expensive but they were surprisingly only a buck for a lb..

Had some banging crab and squid at oyster hut last night so ill have to continue to get my khmer seafood eating goin... Ill hit pasta once again when my taste for local food tires

Jcml19 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 18, 2019 10:03 pm

Attempted to cook pasta and meatballs... Epic fail!! Put too much kampot pepper, used lean pork loin, and and raguuuuu.... I need to stick to bacon...

May not look nice but how does it taste?

yong wrote: ↑Sat Feb 23, 2019 4:08 pm

Jcml19 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 18, 2019 10:03 pm

Attempted to cook pasta and meatballs... Epic fail!! Put too much kampot pepper, used lean pork loin, and and raguuuuu.... I need to stick to bacon...

May not look nice but how does it taste?

Didnt taste terrible but could have easily been better... Oh wells, better luck next time

General Mackevili wrote: ↑Sat Feb 23, 2019 7:01 pm

An easy beginner's mistake
You need to add more tomato puree