So, my husband likes to send me links to things he believes I will find interesting or helpful. This is great, however it adds to my already lengthy to-do list! I recently found myself unemployed and looking for my next role, leading and managing high performing IT or risk management teams…so I had a little extra time on my hands. Not only did I have time to read the info at the link, I also watched this incredibly heartwarming video of Mario and his Mamma discussing their Italian meatballs. I really enjoyed watching the loving banter and debate between Mom and son regarding just who’s recipe it was and the differences be tween their recipes!
I made these Italian meatballs and Mike and the kids, my favorite seasoned samplers, loved them! I made these twice, the second time I was rushed and didn’t re-look at the recipe and just threw everything in the bowl without sautéing the onions, garlic and parsley first. The result was equally satisfying! (With the exception of my son who doesn’t care for onions, they bothered him more without being sautéed first…note taken.)
Please note that this recipe makes a lot of Italian meatballs! And if you want to enjoy Mario’s sauce, you need to make that ahead of the meatballs as it’s used in the baking of the Italian meatballs. You could probably halve the recipe if you wanted. You could also finish cooking them on the stove top in the sauce, versus baking in the oven, with great results.
I can’t believe I forgot to mention my first attempt at homemade Bucatini!!!! Thanks to an early Christmas present…pasta press for my Kitchen Aid stand mixer. Love it!!! I’ll save that for another post!
Mamma's Meatballs!
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 lb ground veal
- 1 lb ground sweet Italian sausage
- 2 cups cubed hearty white bread crusts removed
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 1/4 lb Parmesan cheese grated
- 2 eggs
For the Sauce: *
- 2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 cup garlic basil oil
For the Garlic Basil Oil: **
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 8-10 basil leaves stems can be included
- 4 cloves garlic smashed
Instructions
For the Garlic Basil Oil: **
- Heat the olive oil, basil, and smashed garlic in a small sauce pan over medium heat.
- Simmer for about 5 minutes until the garlic starts to sizzle and the basil is aromatic.
- Remove sauce pan from heat and allow to steep for at least 30 minutes.
- Strain and set aside to add to tomato sauce.
For the Tomato Sauce: *
- Add the tomatoes, salt and sugar in a large sauce pan over medium heat.
- Cook for 45 minutes, stirring frequently (reducing heat if it splatters too much!).
- Turn off heat and stir in the Garlic Basil Oil.
For the Meatballs:
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. ***
- Combine the cubed bread and milk, allow to soak for 30 minutes.
- Heat olive oil in saute pan over medium heat.
- Add onion and saute until translucent.
- Add garlic and saute another minute, until garlic is fragrant.
- Add parsley and saute another minute.
- Set aside the sauteed onion, garlic and parsley mixture to cool.
- Using your hands, mix the bread and milk into a creamy mixture (mine was mushy but still kinda milky).
- Combine beef, veal, sausage, Parmesan cheese, eggs, milk and bread mixture, and onion, garlic and parsley mixture in a large bowl.
- Make into meatballs and set on sheet trays prepared with wax paper or parchment.
- Lightly coat saute pan with olive oil and brown the meatballs on all sides, you are not cooking them all the way through here.
- Place browned meatballs into a sheet tray with a lip or roasting pan.
- Cover lightly with some of the tomato sauce.
- Bake in oven for 20 minutes, or until done. ***
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