Family Jewels

Sorry blog, I've neglected you. Well, have no fear, the piglet is back with a sure-win recipe! I really adore this dish because I can make it ahead of time so I don't smell like the great hope saving the planet from total vampire domination when I mingle with my dinner party guests (garlic joke, get it?). It's also versatile -- you can serve it over pasta for a main dish, put it in a sandwich/slider (great for leftovers), or serve it straight up with a toothpick as an appetizer. 


Recipe
Meatballs
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground veal
1 pound ground beef
1 lemon
1 medium onion
6 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons paprika
1 bunch Italian parsley
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 cup grated parmesan (divided)
3 cups bread crumbs (divided)
salt and pepper to taste


Sauce
3 cans diced tomatoes
1 bottle dry red wine
1 medium onion
6 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of dried Italian seasoning
5 bay leaves
1 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste



I used beef, pork and veal for this version of the meatballs, but you can easily change it up. I've also made a version with ground turkey and veal. Just make sure that the cuts of meat used isn't too lean so the balls will be moist. Preheat the oven to 400º and line a large baking sheet with foil. Mince the onions, garlic and Italian parsley and put into a large bowl. Combine the ground meat, eggs, half of the parmesan cheese, 1 cup of the bread crumbs, the milk, paprika and nutmeg into the bowl. Lastly, add the zest of the lemon (using a micro-plank) and season with salt and pepper. I generally use my hands to mix the ingredients, almost like kneading bread. It's fun, although a bit gross at first. If you have a stand mixer, you can use the paddle attachment or the bread hook attachment instead. 

Everything and the kitchen sink

Putty in my hands

In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the bread crumbs and grated parmesan. I used Italian bread crumbs to add some extra seasoning, but plain bread crumbs are just fine. Use a fork to evenly distribute the mixture and set aside. Using your hands, form the meat filling into balls. If you feel the mixture is too wet, add more bread crumbs; if the mixture is too dry/crumbly, add more milk. The balls don't have to be exactly the same size, since we're being rustic and all. If you're truly anal and want to ensure all the balls are of the same size, use an ice cream scoop to measure them out. Roll the meatballs in the bowl with the bread crumbs and parmesan and plop on the prepared baking sheet. From the mixture, I yielded around 25 meatballs. Pop the sheet pans into the oven for 30 minutes. 

lightly roll the balls in the bowl

Sitting pretty and ready to bake!

While the balls bake, it's time to start the sauce. Mince the onions and garlic. Put a large pan (preferably a ceramic Dutch oven) over medium low heat, add 3 twirls of olive oil and toss in the onion and garlic. Let the mixture caramelize, should take around 10-15 minutes. Don't worry if it burns a little bit. Deglaze the pan with the bottle of wine, don't forget to scrape the bottom of the pan to pick up more flavor into the sauce. Turn the heat up to medium high and let the alcohol cook off, around 3-5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, brown sugar, Italian seasoning, bay leaves and red pepper flakes to the pot. Stir everything to combine.

Deglazing the pot

When the sauce starts to boil and bubble, turn the heat down to simmer. Drop the meatballs into the sauce, making sure that all are submerged under the sauce. Put the lid on and simmer for around 2 hours over low heat on the stove top or in the oven at 325º. Stir the pot after an hour just to make sure that nothing is sticking to the bottom. I made a big pot of pasta to go with the meatballs. You can also put out a bit of grated parmesan and chopped parsley to sprinkle over the dish. These balls will make any Italian grandma proud!

Carb heaven!!

Reflections
This recipe has evolved over the years for me. I made Italian meatballs the first time back in college. I simplified some of the steps, such as baking the meatballs in the oven instead of pan frying them. To save more time, feel free to cook the meatballs in store bought pasta sauce instead of making your own. As always, you can change up the spices in the sauce or the meatballs to suit your taste.


I made this dish for my boyfriend's grandma's "life celebration" memorial. It's events like this, where friends and family gather from all corners of the country, that remind me why I love to cook. It was so gratifying to see the happy faces as people enjoy a homey meal, great wine, relive memories and make new ones.


...in loving memory of Sybil Gaut