Classic Meatballs with Tomato Sauce
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 25 meatballs with sauce
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 25 servings
- Calories
- 251
- Total Fat
- 19
- Saturated Fat
- 8
- Carbohydrates
- 7
- Dietary Fiber
- 1
- Sugar
- 3
- Protein
- 13
- Cholesterol
- 56
- Sodium
- 411
- Total: 1 hr 15 min
- Active: 40 min
Ingredients
Meatballs:
Extra-virgin olive oil, for cooking
2 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves finely minced
1 pound ground pork sausage or pork
8 ounces ground chuck
8 ounces ground mortadella (or diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
8 ounces ground veal
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 large egg
Tomato Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, sliced
Three 28-ounce cans San Marzano tomatoes, run through a food mill or blended in a blender
1 tablespoon red chile flakes
10 leaves fresh basil
1/4 cup grated Pecorino-Romano
Grilled bread, for serving
Directions
- For the meatballs: In a large sauté pan, heat some olive oil over medium heat. Cook the garlic, onions and rosemary until the vegetables have softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely.
- Working slowly, fold the pork, chuck, mortadella, veal, Parmigiano, cream and egg into the vegetable mixture just until it comes together.
- Return to the fridge for 15 minutes to firm the mixture.
- Working quickly, roll the meatballs into silver dollar-sized portions, about 2 ounces each.
- Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat with some olive oil. Add the meatballs and allow them to brown, 7 to 9 minutes; alternatively, bake them in a 450-degree F oven for 15 minutes. Reserve.
- For the tomato sauce: In a large Dutch oven, add the olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for a minute. Add the tomatoes, chile flakes and basil and bring to a simmer. Pour some of the oil from the meatball pan into the sauce, then add the seared meatballs. Allow everything to simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.
- Serve with the Pecorino-Romano and the grilled bread.