Meatballs aren’t very glamorous, but they sure are comforting. Making them from scratch with fresh ingredients makes a huge difference in taste and really brings out the flavor – because so many people are used to greasy, store bought versions, they will think you have legendary skills when you share them.
I like the versatility – you can make it with poultry, use it in a garlic roll ( for maximum comfort food), serve it as a stand alone dish or top it over a steaming bowl of pasta. For busy folks like me, you can make extra and freeze ( they keep well), or take short cuts and still have a good dish.
My mom, who is my favorite cook, points out that it’s all in the technique- something I am glad to share with you. You can use lean beef, but closer to 85% is preferred. As you know, fat = lots of flavor. Sausage is also optional, however I always blend it. The recipe I grew up with combined beef, sausage and veal.
The Ingredients
- 1lb of ground chuck
- 1 lb Italian sausage, mild
- 1 large egg
- 3 tsp minced garlic
- salt & pepper
- fresh oregano & parsley (* you can use dried)
- olive oil
- 1 can crushed tomatoes
- 1 can whole peeled tomatoes
- I roll (*you can use breadcrumbs)
Tear the bread into pieces and process until fine. Assemble the beef, sausage egg, bread, 1 tsp garlic, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, oregano, parsley and blend well. The consistency should be sticky. If the mixture is too slimy, add more bread.
The texture should be easy to roll between your two hands. Shape 12 meatballs. Make sure they are well-rolled to avoid them falling apart, but make sure not to be too rough as you want them to be juicy.
Add 1 tsp of olive oil to the pan and swirl it around. Remember the oil here is for flavor only, so you don’t want to go overboard. The meat will create enough juice in the pan. You can use a non-stick like I did or use a regular pan if you prefer the meatballs to have a crunchier crust. Often, I will add a tiny bit of garlic here, as well.
Brown the meatballs for about 7 minutes. I turn them gently with a fork or spoon. A common mistake is to squeeze the meatballs in order to get them to cook faster, but this destroys the juiciness and makes them tough. You barely want to touch them.
Add the tomatoes (breaking them up with your spoon if desired), a little more oregano (1/4 tsp), 1 tsp garlic and salt & pepper to taste. You can add a pinch of sugar if you want to the sauce. Then, bring the sauce to a rapid boil and then reduce to a rolling simmer for 15 minutes or until the meatballs are done.
I like to add fresh grated parmesan to the sauce. Voila. Steam not included:)
*If you want to make a meatball sub, I would heat up the oven to 400 degrees. Split a few hoagie rolls and brush with olive oil and sprinkle with minced garlic, salt and pepper. Bake ten minutes and then add the meatballs and sauce.
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