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| MARIA’S HOME MADE MEATY MEATBALLS AND MARINARA SAUCE |
| 4 servings of two meatballs each |
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| INGREDIENTS: MEATBALLS |
1 lb meat (we use 2/3 pound ground chuck or sirloin
and 1/3 pound of ground pork; you can add veal as well
if you like it; split the pork with veal.)
1 extra large egg per pound
8 oz or 1 C fresh bread crumbs (put leftover bread–Italian, French
or American, preferably a white loaf–in a food processor
or hand grate fine.)
8 oz Parmesan cheese
1 t black pepper
1 T Kosher salt
1/2 bunch of Italian parsley, chopped coarsely
1/4 t nutmeg
1/2 medium onion, chopped fine
2 nice-sized cloves garlic minced
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| INGREDIENTS: MARINARA SAUCE |
2 28-ounce cans of crushed Italian pear tomatoes (pear shape)
1/2 medium onion chopped fine
2-3 large garlic cloves, sliced
1 T Kosher salt (or more to taste)
1 t black pepper
2 oz olive oil
1/2 carrot cleaned and chopped fine to sauté with onions.
3-4 large fresh basil leaves (chiffonade: roll leaves and slice;
do not chop–it will bruise the leaves)
1/2 bunch of Italian parsley (the other 1/2 left over from
the meatballs)
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| METHOD: MEATBALLS |
| Mix meat together, and then mix in all dry ingredients.
Create a well in the middle of the meat mixture and then add eggs
and mix well.Wetting your hands will help when you mix.
Roll balls by hand making at least 8 nice size balls.
We bake them at Maria’s but at home we cook them on the stove in
a cast-iron skillet or other heavy-bottomed pan, coated with olive oil
(about 2 ounces).
If you bake them, bake in a preheated 325-degree oven for 30 minutes
or until firm and cooked through when broken open. Remember pork
will cook up pinkish. THIS IS NORMAL. |
| METHOD: MARINARA SAUCE |
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In an 8-quart sauce pan, sauté onions in the olive oil until transparent
(you may add carrots at this time and sauté for 2 more minutes).
Add sliced garlic cloves and simmer till garlic turns white; DO NOT
BURN THE GARLIC, it will get bitter.
Add the crushed canned Italian tomatoes (have open and ready to
stop garlic from overcooking) and salt and pepper.
Simmer for about 1/2 hour.
Add meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
Add basil and parsley.
Get the water ready. Generously, salt it and when the water is
rapidly boiling, add one pound of pasta of your choice (or as we
call it, “macaroni”).
Make sure you have enough water so you can stir the spaghetti so
they do not stick together.
8 minutes should be enough time for spaghetti.
Drain (do not rinse–it takes away the flavor) and remember only cook
imported Italian pasta.
Put half the pasta in a big serving bowl, mix with a little sauce then
add the rest of the pasta.
Get the Parmesan cheese ready and lots of it! We recommend
imported.
You may garnish with some fresh basil.
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| TO FINISH |
| Our family serves the meatballs and “macaroni” in separate bowls
each with just enough gravy.
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| NOTE |
| Marinara becomes gravy when you add the meatballs. |
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