Meatball Recipes

Steps:

• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil, add the onions and bring to a medium-high heat. Season the onions generously with salt and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes. The onions should be very soft and aromatic but have no color. Add the garlic and the crushed red pepper and saute for another 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool.
• In a large bowl combine the meats, eggs, Parmigiano, parsley and bread crumbs. It works well to squish the mixture with your hands. Add the onion mixture and season generously with salt and squish some more. Add the water and do 1 final really good squish. The mixture should be quite wet. Test the seasoning of the mix by making a mini hamburger size patty and cooking it. The mixture should taste really good! If it doesn't it is probably missing salt. Add more. Add more anyway.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Shape the meat into desired size. Some people like 'em big some people like 'em small. I prefer meatballs slightly larger than a golf ball. Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring to a medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides. Place them on a cookie sheet and bake them in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked all the way through. If using right away, add them to your big pot of marinara sauce. If not using right away, they can be frozen for later use. Serve with pasta and sauce or just eat them straight out of the pot! YUM!
• Coat a large saucepot with olive oil and add the pancetta. Bring the pot to a medium-high heat and cook the pancetta for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onions, season generously with salt and stir to coat with olive oil. Cook the onions for 6 to 7 minutes stirring frequently. The onions should become very soft and aromatic but have no color. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes stirring frequently.
• Pass the tomatoes through the food mill. Be sure to pass all of the pulp through the holes leaving only the stems and the seeds, and be sure to scrape the pulp off of the bottom of the food mill. That's all of the big money stuff! Add the tomatoes to the pot and rinse out 1 of the empty tomato cans with water and add that water to the pot (about 2 to 3 cups). Season generously with salt and TASTE IT!!!! Tomatoes take a lot of salt. Season in baby steps and taste every step of the way. Cook the sauce for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally and tasting frequently.
• Use the sauce right away on pasta or for any other tomato sauce need. This sauce can also be cooled and stored in the refrigerator for a few days and freezes really well.
• Yield: 2 quarts

Steps:

• Soak the Texas toast in the milk in a shallow bowl for 10 minutes.
• Add the turkey, sausage, Parmesan, parsley, garlic, onion and some salt and pepper to a bowl. Add the Texas toast and milk. Mix together (the bread will get broken up as it mixes) and form 3 oversized balls.
• Heat some oil over medium heat in a small Dutch oven. Add the meatballs and carefully brown/sear the surface, moving them around to keep their shape. The meatballs should be somewhat crowded in the small pot.
• Pour in the marinara and add water if needed to cover. Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer, carefully turning the meatballs halfway through, until cooked through, about an hour.
• To serve: Plate up the bucatini and top with the sauce and meatballs. Garnish with parsley and basil.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450˚ F. Line 2 baking sheets with foil and coat with cooking spray.
• Combine the beef, breadcrumbs, milk, eggs, onion, garlic, parsley, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl; mix with your hands until combined. Form into 1 1/2-inch meatballs (about 30). Arrange the meatballs on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake the meatballs until browned and cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients in a large bowl by hand.
• Use your bare hands for best results.
• Roll meatballs to about the size of a golf ball. (wet your hands to prevent the meat from sticking to them while rolling the meat balls).
• Drop raw meatballs into large (I use a stock pot) pot of sauce.
• (I have an incredible sauce recipe {#92096} I use for my meatballs).
• Simmer for about 3 hours.

Steps:

• Remove crust from bread and dice into small pieces.
• In a large bowl, grate the onion using a standard box grater until you have about 1/2 cup of onion and juices.
• Add the bread to the onions, mixing until the juices thoroughly soaks the bread. Set aside for several minutes.
• Add the remaining ingredients (except for the oil and tomato sauce) and mix well.
• Measure out a heaped tablespoon and roll lightly to form a ball.
• Heat the oil in a large non stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the meatballs and brown all over, about 3-4 minutes. Carefully transfer the partially cooked meatballs onto a plate.
• Add your favorite tomato sauce to the pan and heat. Add the meatballs and it's juices to the tomato sauce and cook for 10 minutes or until the meat balls are cooked through, turning and stirring occasionally.
• Cook your pasta of choice while the meatballs are cooking.
• NOTES:.
• You can substitute other breads (no crusts) for the sandwich bread or if you prefer, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs.
• Feel free to use 1 lb (500g) beef instead of the beef/pork mixture.

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl add the meats and blend together with your hands.
• Add the onion, parsley, pepper, and garlic salt. Mix again with your hands until all the seasonings are well blended with the meat.
• In a bowl beat the eggs until well beaten. While mixing the egg into the meat mixture, add the bread crumbs 1/2 cup at a time until the meat begins to feel slightly firm.
• Form the meat into 1 1/2" balls with your hands.
• Gently place in cooking pan so that the meatballs are close but not touching.
• Cook in pre-heated oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes or until browned.
• The meatballs will not be fully cooked yet.
• Add meatballs to your favorite sauce and simmer for one hour. (I usually use my Grandmother's sauce recipe, since this was her meatball recipe. I posted it under Spaghetti Sauce #79000 for anyone who would like it.).