Meatballs With Sauce

Meatballs With Sauce

Served as an appetizer at the restaurant, these oversized offerings also make a delicious entree when served with a good salad and some crusty Italian bread. Start early so the meatball mixture can be chilled to firm up and develop flavor. The restaurant serves them with a dollop of ricotta cheese

Ingredients

• 1 medium carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 3 medium celery ribs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 6 large garlic cloves
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground veal
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 / 2 cup minced fresh basil
• 1 / 2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 / 4 cup minced fresh thyme
• 2 cups dry bread crumbs
• 2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• Kosher salt and coarse-ground black pepper, to taste
• Vegetable oil, for frying (we used canola)
• Tomato Sauce

Method

In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process the carrots, onions, celery and garlic until very finely chopped.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the ground beef, veal and pork (clean hands are useful here).
Add the vegetables, basil, parsley and thyme; mix well.

Add the bread crumbs, cheese, eggs, salt and pepper and continue mixing until everything is evenly distributed.

Cover and refrigerate from 1 to 8 hours to allow the flavors to develop and the mixture to firm up for easier shaping. Shape the mixture into 12 nice meatballs (each weighing about 7 ounces).

In a large heavy skillet, preferably nonstick, heat about 1 / 2 inch vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Cook half the meatballs turning them carefully to brown on all sides. When done, transfer to paper towels to drain while browning the remaining meatballs.

Place the sauce in a pot that is large enough to hold the meatballs in a single layer. Bring sauce to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs to the sauce, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, 35 to 40 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through.

Serve the meatballs with sauce. (The meatballs and sauce can be cooled, well covered and frozen up to 6 months.) Makes 12 servings.