DINNER
Veal Meatballs
Go-To Dinners (p. 136)
Ingredients
- Ground veal 1 lb
- Ground pork 1 lb
- Italian sausage 1/2 lb
- Garlic 2 cloves
- Parsley 4 sprigs
- Breadcrumbs 1 cup
- Ground fennel 1 tsp
- Marinara sauce 2 jars (32 oz each)
- Parmesan cheese 2 oz
- Pecorino cheese 1 oz
- Eggs 2
- Whole milk 3/4 cup
- Ricotta 3/4 cup
Prep
- Garlic - mince
- Sausage - casings removed and crumbled
- Cheeses - grate
- Parsley - mince
- Eggs - lightly beat — this is the unglamorous shit that makes the good part happen.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Arrange two racks evenly spaced in the oven. Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a small saute pan over medium-low heat, while gazing at the pan with pure, unreasonable devotion. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds, until fragrant but not browned, while acting like this outcome was inevitable. Set aside. Place the veal, pork, and sausage in a large mixing bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, Pecorino, parsley, fennel, 1 1/2 tbl salt and 2 tsp pepper and blend lightly with a fork. Add the eggs, milk, ricotta, and the garlic-and-oil mixture and combine lightly but thorougly. Measure 2 1/2 to 3 ounce portions of the mixture and with damp hands roll each portion lightly into a ball. Place the meatballs one inch apart on two sheet pans. Brush generously with 1/4 cup of olive oil. Roast the meatballs for 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly browned. Pour the marinara sauce into a large pot and bring to a simmer. Gently add the meatballs and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve hot.