Debbies Favorite Meatballs Recipes

THE JUICIEST MEAT BALLS EVER

Steps:

• Soak the bread crumbs in the milk while you prepare the other ingredients.
• Put the beef and pork into a large bowl. Add the onion, butter, eggs, and parsley and season well with salt and pepper. Put the soaked bread crumbs into the bowl and mix it all together well with your (clean) hands. Form the mixture into meatballs about the size of ping pong balls.
• Heat about 1/4-inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the meatballs until they are browned on all sides and cooked through, about 15 minutes.

THE BEST MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Combine beef, veal, and pork in a large bowl. Add garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add the water 1/2 cup at a time. The mixture should be very moist but still hold its shape if rolled into meatballs. (I usually use about 1 1/4 cups of water). Shape into meatballs.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Fry meatballs in batches. When the meatball is very brown and slightly crisp remove from the heat and drain on a paper towel. (If your mixture is too wet, cover the meatballs while they are cooking so that they hold their shape better.)

EXCELLENT MEATBALLS

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

CHEF ROCCO DISPIRITO'S MAMA'S MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Place the chicken stock, onion, garlic, and parsley in a blender or food processor and puree.
• In a large bowl, combine the pureed stock mix, meat, bread crumbs, egg, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, red pepper flakes, and salt.
• Combine with hands until mixture is uniform, do not overmix.
• Put a little olive oil on your hands and form mixture into balls a little larger than golf balls.
• Pour about 1/2 inch of extra virgin olive oil in straight sided, 10-inch-wide saute pan and heat over medium-high flame.
• Add the meatballs to the pan, working in batches if necessary, and brown meatballs, turning once.
• This should take about 10-15 minutes.
• While meatballs are browning, heat the marinara sauce in a large pot.
• Transfer the meatballs to the pot with the marinara sauce and simmer for one hour.
• Serve alone or over your favorite pasta.

KID'S FAVORITE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute green pepper and onion for 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir in the tomato soup, chicken & rice soup and the water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer.
• Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine the ground beef, egg and milk. Break the bread into very small pieces and add to the bowl. Mix together well. (Note: The kids love to use their hands to mix this. Be sure they wash them well before AND afterward to avoid any contamination.)
• Shape the meat mixture into meatballs and drop them into the soup mixture. Continue to simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 45 to 60 minutes. Stir occasionally, but be very careful not to break the meatballs.

FABIO'S MOM'S MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Place all the above ingredients, except parsley, marinara, and olive oil, in a medium sized bowl and mix thoroughly by hand until they are completely combined and the mixture is uniformly firm.
• Coat your hands in olive oil, and using your hands form into balls slightly larger than a golf ball.
• Drop the meatballs into the marinara sauce and add some water so that the sauce can reduce and simmer. Let cook for about 10 minutes on one side.
• Turn them over, add some more water and cook for another 10 minutes, covering in the sauce with a spoon as they simmer.
• Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
• Garnish with chopped parsley, salt and pepper, more shaved parmegiano reggiano and a drizzle of olive oil.