Italian! Meatball Inspired by Mario Batali

In a large saucepan or cooking pot over medium heat, heat olive oil until hot. Add garlic and red onion and sauté until softened. Add tomatoes with sauce, vinegar and sugar and stir to combine. Simmer for a few minutes. Transfer sauce to blender and puree until smooth. Return to heat.
Add:
1 ½ tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. Kosher salt
Stir to combine. Return to simmer.
Make the meatballs:
2 cups bread (I used Garlic Sourdough which added great flavor), cut into ¼ inch cubes
½ cup milk
1 pound ground beef (not lean)
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
1 ½ tsp, Kosher salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Pour milk over bread cubes in small bowl and let sit until milk has been absorbed. Combine all meatball ingredients in bowl of electric mixer fitted with dough hook. Mix on low speed for four minutes until thoroughly combined. With wet hands, form small meatballs (about the size of a ping pong ball) and slide into simmering sauce. Repeat, forming all of the meatball mixture into meatballs and sliding them into the sauce. Shake pan occasionally to turn meatballs and cook on all sides. Cook meatballs in simmering sauce for 15 minutes, until meat is cooked through. Serve one meatball per person with frilly toothpicks for the first course of your Sweet Italian Sunday Supper.

Ingredients