Recipe Friday

(source)

I really want some spaghetti and meatballs.  So random, I know, what with it being Christmas Eve-Eve. I should be wanting some cookies or egg nog or some kind of peppermint based ooey, gooey goodness.
My taste buds and my tummy didn't get the memo.  Truth be told, I don't really care for peppermint treats and after the bake-a-thon we had earlier this week, I'm kind of cookie-ed out.  I know! I'm just as surprised as you are!

I'm in the mood for something savory and something super comforting.  SN: My mom fell ill earlier this week and won't be able to join us for Christmas. My dad, ever the dutiful husband, is going to stay home to nurse her back to health. This is the first Christmas in a long time when I haven't seen my folks and I think I'm feeling kind of badly about it.  Actually, I know I'm feeling badly about it, hence the need for some comfort food. Spaghetti and meatballs definitely makes the list.

This recipe I originally got from my mom's next-door neighbor.  When I looked it up online, there turned out to be two different versions, both accompanied by the Danza family Sunday Sauce.  One version of the meatballs calls for pork ribs in addition to the pound of ground meat.  The meatball recipe from the neighbor had omitted that, so that's what I'm sharing with you now.

As for the Sunday Sauce, well,  I haven't made it yet. I'm Prego or Ragu girl, sometimes a Classico or Francesco Rinaldi.  I would rather start with that as a base and then add my own concoction of herbs, spices, wines and meats to get something really special going.  Besides, when I'm busy making meatballs, I'm just trying to get it from the pan to the plate in as few steps as possible.

One note on this recipe - it calls for a tablespoon of salt, which I think is quite a bit.  I usually do half; I'd rather the salt the meatballs with my meal than not be able to enjoy it at all.  I'm happy to eat this with a salad and some buttered bread, but it tastes pretty good as a stand-alone dish, too.

Enjoy and have a very, very Happy Holiday!

Sunday Sauce with Meatballs (recipe found here)

Sauce:
2 cans (35 ounces each) plum tomatoes with basil
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips

Meatballs
1 pound ground sirloin or lean ground beef, pork, turkey, veal, chicken, or any combination
2 eggs
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

1. Strain the tomatoes in a colander to extract the juice, breaking the tomatoes apart with your hands. Discard the pulp. (This eliminates the bitter part of the tomato.)

2. Now make the meatballs. 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.

3. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add 3 cloves chopped garlic and sauté until golden brown. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the meatballs and sauté over medium-high heat, turning them, until they are brown all over. 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.)

4. Back to the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add 4 cloves garlic, the onion, red and black pepper and sauté until the onion is soft and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the juiced tomatoes, red wine, Parmesan, and salt. Add the tomato paste and the water and stir together over medium heat. Add the meatballs. Bring to an easy boil, then simmer over low heat for 2 hours.

5. Add the basil and simmer for 15 minutes more. The meatballs should float in the sauce.