Sunday Meatballs Recipes

ITALIAN MEATBALLS AND SUNDAY SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• Dice 1 onion. In a large bowl hand crush the tomatoes. Alternatively, pulse the tomatoes in a blender for 2-3 seconds.
• Coat the bottom of a large heavy pot with a 1/2 cup of olive oil and saute the onions on medium-low heat until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the tomato paste to the onions and cook for 5 minutes, spreading the paste around with a wooden spoon.
• Add in all the hand crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp of kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp of sugar. Stir the sauce until incorporated and cook on a low simmer with the lid left slightly ajar. Stir the sauce every so often (very important!) to avoid sticking. The sauce should cook on low heat for at least 2.5 to 3 hours but longer will be better.
• Begin by grating 3/4 cup of parmigiano reggiano, mincing a half cup of fresh parsley, and creating garlic paste from 3 garlic cloves.
• Add the beef and ground pork to a large mixing bowl and season with 2 tsp kosher salt and a 1/2 tsp black pepper. In a small bowl beat 2 eggs and set aside.
• To the meat, add the breadcrumbs, grated cheese, parsley and garlic paste. Pour the eggs in and mix everything together. If the mixture is too dry, add one more egg to the mix.
• With wet hands roll approximately 2" size meatballs. The meatballs can be baked on a sheet pan with wire rack at 375f for 25-30 minutes or until brown in the middle of oven.
• Place the browned meatballs in the sauce and cook for a minimum of 1 hour on low heat to allow the meatballs to absorb the flavor of and braise in the sauce.
• When the meatballs are finished, serve with choice of pasta, grated cheese and Italian bread. Enjoy!

MOM'S BEST SUNDAY MEATBALLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl. Soak a loaf of Italian bread for about 3 minutes.
• Remove bread from the water. Remove the crust and discard, leaving only the inside dough.
• Use your hands and squeeze all liquid from the bread. Transfer bread to a large bowl.
• Combine bread with ground beef, eggs, cheese, garlic powder, pepper, and parsley.
• Mix with your hands to combine well, or use your food processor. Using a spoon to mix will not work. The mixture will be very sticky. Best to wash your hands before shaping them into meatballs.
• Scoop a small amount of meat mixture into your hand and roll into 2-inch balls. Transfer each meatball onto a sheet of wax paper. Set them aside.
• On the stovetop, using a deep medium-size skillet, pour oil.
• Heat oil on medium heat. When the oil is hot, carefully add a few meatballs and fry until the bottom is crispy brown. Gently turn meatballs over once and continue until crispy brown.
• Remove meatballs from the pan and drain onto a platter lined with paper towels.
• Repeat until all meatballs are fully cooked.
• Eat them alone, fried or place them into your Tomato Sauce and simmer for about 30 minutes to one hour. Using a spoon, gently remove the meatballs, transfer them onto a platter and serve.
• Yields: about 20 meatballs
• In a large heavy-bottomed pot, add the olive oil, onions, red pepper flakes, and basil, and simmer on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.
• Then add only one can of tomatoes (blended) to the onions to prevent the onions from burning while cooking. (This is a trick my husband learned from his mom). Occasionally stirring. Continue to simmer the onions on low heat for another 15 minutes.
• Then add in the rest of the tomatoes and salt. Cover and raise the heat to bring to the sauce a boil. Lower the heat again, and continue to simmer the sauce on low heat.
• Add the meatballs to the sauce. Simmer for an additional hour, occasionally stirring the sauce. The total cooking time should be about 1 and ½ hours. Taste the sauce. Turn off the heat. Allow the sauce to cool down slightly.
• Yields: 3 quarts

OLD STYLE SUNDAY MEATBALLS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, mix all ingredients except cheese and breadcrumbs (this is best done with clean hands!).
• Once mixed, add cheese and breadcrumbs, mix until even.
• Coat a roasting pan or high sided pan with extra virgin olive oil.
• Roll meat mixture into balls about the size of a golfball and line oiled pan with them.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until done.

MEATBALLS IN SUNDAY SAUCE

Steps:

• For the meatballs: In a bowl, combine the beef, pork, veal, breadcrumbs, Parmesan and parsley. In a separate bowl, combine the ricotta and eggs and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Whip with a whisk until fluffy.
• Fold the ricotta mixture into the meat mixture. Form the mixture into golf-size balls. Pour about 2 inches of canola oil into a frying pan and slowly bring the temperature to 350 degrees F. Line a plate with paper towels and set aside. Fry the meatballs until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the lined plate.
• For the sauce: Coat the bottom of a large saucepan with olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is lightly brown, 30 seconds.
• Deglaze with the marsala, then add the stock and cook, stirring, until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes and sugar and bring to a simmer. Add the meatballs and cook, 30 minutes. Add the basil.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the penne. Cook to al dente, about 13 minutes.
• Add the strained penne to a large saute pan and ladle in some of the sauce, then cook over high heat just long enough to coat the pasta and simmer the sauce. Lower the heat and add the grated Parmesan. Toss in the pan to coat well. Serve with immediately with meatballs.

SUNDAY SAUCE WITH MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Strain the plum tomatoes in a colander to extract the juice, breaking the tomatoes apart with your hands. Discard the pulp and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add 4 cloves garlic, the onion, red pepper and black pepper. Saute until the onion is soft and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add juiced tomatoes, red wine, Parmesan and salt. Add the tomato paste and the water and stir together over medium heat. *Cook's Note: Tomato paste should be added after making meatballs and ribs.
• Put the ground meat in a mixing bowl. Beat the eggs and add them to the meat along with 6 cloves garlic, the bread crumbs, salt, pepper, Parmesan and milk. Mix this all together with your hands. Wet your hands with water and continue to wet them as you pinch meat from the bowl and roll into 2-inch balls. Roll the balls in the flour.
• Heat 1/2-cup of oil in a large skillet. Add 3 cloves chopped garlic and saute until golden brown. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the meatballs and saute over medium-high heat, turning them until they are brown all over.
• *Cook's Note: As soon as you can pick them up with a fork, they are ready. You don't want them to be well done. If the meatball slides off the fork when you pick it up, it needs to cook a little longer.
• Cut the ribs apart and remove the membrane. Saute them in 1/2-cup oil until very brown and remove.
• Return the garlic to the oil and add tomato paste (for the sauce) to the pan; Cook, stirring, over medium heat for about 3 minutes until it softens. Remove from the heat and add to the sauce.
• Add the meatballs and spareribs to the sauce. Bring to an easy boil, then simmer over low heat for 2 hours. Add the basil and simmer for 15 minutes more. The spareribs should be very tender, falling off the bone and the meatballs should float in the sauce

SUNDAY SAUCE WITH BRACIOLE, MEATBALLS, AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Make the sauce:
• Purée onions and garlic in a food processor until very finely chopped.
• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pot over medium-high. Cook onion mixture and 1/2 tsp. salt, stirring often, until liquid is evaporated and bits on bottom of pot are beginning to brown, 10-12 minutes. Add tomato paste, oregano, and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until slightly darker in color, about 2 minutes more. Add 1/2 cup water and cook, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot. Add tomatoes and their juices and 1 cup water; stir to combine. Stir in basil, season with pepper and remaining 1 tsp. salt, and bring to a simmer. Keep warm, stirring occasionally, until ready to use.
• Make the breadcrumb mixture:
• Combine cheese, parsley, breadcrumbs, and garlic in a medium bowl.
• Prepare the braciole:
• Preheat oven to 300°F. Lay beef flat on a work surface; season with 3/4 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 cup breadcrumb mixture. Working one at a time and starting at the short end, roll up beef, then tie in a few places with butcher's twine to secure. Season braciole with remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.
• Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Working in batches and adding remaining 1 Tbsp. oil to skillet as needed, cook braciole, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch.
• Transfer braciole to pot with sauce, cover, and bake 1 1/2 hours. Wipe out skillet and reserve.
• Prepare the meatballs and sausage:
• Mix ground beef, eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and remaining 1 1/4 cups breadcrumb mixture with a fork in a medium bowl. Shape into 12 (1 1/2") balls.
• Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in reserved skillet. Working in batches, cook meatballs, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch; transfer to a plate. Working in batches and adding remaining 1 Tbsp. oil to skillet as needed, cook sausages, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to plate.
• After braciole has baked 1 1/2 hours, using tongs, gently lower meatballs and sausages into sauce. Cover pot and continue to bake until braciole is very tender and meatballs and sausages are cooked through, 25-30 minutes more.
• To serve:
• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Transfer sausages, meatballs, and braciole to a platter; remove strings from braciole. Spoon some warm sauce over.
• Drain pasta and toss with as little or as much sauce as you like. Serve topped with Parmesan.
• Do Ahead
• Sauce can be made 3 days ahead; cover and chill, or freeze up to 6 months. Braciole, meatballs, and sausages can be made 3 days ahead; submerge in sauce, cover, and chill, or freeze up to 3 months.

SUNDAY MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Place frozen meatballs in crock-pot.
• In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring remaining ingredients to a boil until sugar has dissolved. Pour mixture over meatballs and give a quick stir to coat meatballs.
• Cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 6-8 hours.