Meatballs and spaghetti are an American invention, and one of the earliest documented versions of spaghetti and meatballs might have been an accident.

In the Macaronis Journal published on October 15, 1922, Italian film star Rudy Valentino’s favorite recipes are published. The journal was a trade publication targeting manufacturers of macaroni and grocers that sold it.

The journal included two distinct recipes. One was for Valentino’s favorite red sauce serve with spaghetti. The second was for his favorite meatball recipe, served with potatoes.

Since Valentino’s meatball recipe suggested serving with potatoes, it isn’t likely he intended to eat them with his pasta. Or if he did, he likely would have served them as separate courses entirely. But the magazine published the two recipes without any separation between them, and many people likely would have combined them

Part of that reason, in all likelihood, is that meatballs were already being added to Sunday gravy — the Neapolitan style ragù filled with meat. But Valentino’s recipe set in motion a wide adoption. Soon after, Keystone Macaroni, a sponsor of the Macaroni Journal, began advertising their spaghetti with meatballs pictured alongside the pasta.

Valentino died a few years later from what would be coined Valentino’s syndrome, a combination appendicitis and gastric ulcers.

This recipe is adapted from The New Macaroni Journal, Oct 15, 1922.

Ingredients

1 lb ground top round
1 egg
1 cup grated bread
½ lb grated Parmigiana or Romano
Parsley

Instructions

Combine meat, egg, bread, and cheese.
Season with salt and pepper.
Roll into balls.
Flatten slightly.
Fry in oil.