Mom's Meatballs with Neapolitan Meat Sauce
Recipe provided by Crust Artisan Bakery
Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 8 to 10 people
Total Time: 4 hr 10 min
Hands-on Time: 1 hr
Nutrition Facts Per Serving
Serving Size: 1 of 10 servings
- Calories: 610
- Total Fat: 33 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Dietary Fiber: 4 g
- Sugars: 7 g
- Protein: 53 g
- Cholesterol: 214 mg
- Sodium: 1062 mg
Neapolitan Meat Sauce Ingredients
- 1 pound beef chuck, cut into pieces
- 1 pound pork shoulder, cut into pieces
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3/4 cup red wine
- Two 28-ounce cans of peeled San Marzano tomatoes, juices passed through a food mill
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Mom's Meatballs Ingredients
- 6 ounces stale bread
- 3 ounces whole milk
- 1 pound ground chuck
- 8 ounces grated pecorino cheese
- 8 ounces ground pork
- 3 ounces grated onion
- 3 ounces finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 2 ounces finely chopped fresh basil
- 2 ounces finely minced fresh garlic
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Instructions
- For the meat sauce: In a large pot over medium-high heat, brown small portions of the beef, pork, and sausage in olive oil, then set aside. Once all meat is seared, deglaze the pot with red wine and add the onion. Cook until translucent. Stir in the tomatoes and return all meat to the pot. Season with chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Let the sauce simmer on medium-low heat for 2 to 3 hours.
- For the meatballs: While the sauce is cooking, preheat your oven to 350F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet. Soak the bread in milk until soft.
- After soaking, squeeze excess milk from the bread. In a large bowl, combine ground chuck, pecorino, ground pork, soaked bread, onion, parsley, basil, garlic, and eggs. Mix everything together thoroughly by hand.
- Form the mixture into loosely packed meatballs about twice the size of a golf ball and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked meatballs into the simmering sauce and braise until tender. Serve warm.
This recipe is contributed by a culinary professional and has not been tested for home cooking.
Recipe courtesy of Crust Artisan Bakery, Santa Rosa Beach, FL
