Tapas pasta with pork sausage

Meatballs are on every tapas menu in Spain. Served in a rich tomato and paprika sauce, they’re the perfect pairing for local Spanish beer or a white Rioja wine.

And while there doesn’t seem to be a classic Spanish meatball recipe, I’ve seen pork, lamb and beef on menus, they’re always served in a thick sticky tomato sauce — which I almost like more than the meatballs — I like to sop it up with crispy potatoes, enjoying every last bit.

One of my favorite tapas restaurants is one in little village in Majorca 30 minutes from the capital Palma in Valldemossa. In this very touristy village filled with souvenir shops, there’s a tiny rustic tapas bar with three tables overlooking the steep Tramuntana mountains that feels local even though it’s clearly on the tourist trail. The taps is delicious, and probably worth the plane ticket alone, but the views are breathtaking, and probably the reason I visit Majorca as much as possible.

I always order the meatballs, which are served with grilled onions and bell peppers in tomato sauce. In the evening the chef adds pasta shells to make it a more substantial meal. The shells fill with a warming sauce, creating one of the most enjoyably perfect pasta dishes that I’ve ever tasted. It’s a dish that tastes like holiday, and whenever I think about it, I remember the warm sunshine, the good wine and delicious food…