Homemade Italian Meatballs

• Meat

  • 1 1/2 lb Ground beef
  • 1/2 lb Ground pork
  • 1/2 lb Veal, ground

• Produce

  • 2 tbsp Basil, fresh
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 1 tbsp Garlic
  • 1 tsp Oregano, dried
  • 3 tbsp Parsley, fresh
  • 1 tbsp Parsley

• Refrigerated

  • 2 Eggs, large

• Condiments

  • 10 cups Marinara sauce, fresh

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 tbsp Black pepper, fresh ground
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • 1 Salt and pepper

• Bread & Baked Goods

  • 4 slices Italian bread, firm
  • 3 slices Italian bread, white
  • 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs, fresh

• Dairy

  • 1 cup Milk
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup Romano cheese

Found on howtofeedaloon.com

Description

Ingredients

• FOR THE MEATBALLS:
• 1 & ½ lb ground beef (80% is what I prefer)
• ½ lb ground veal
• ½ lb ground pork
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• ¼ cup fresh Italian bread crumbs (recipe below)
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
• 4 slices of firm Italian bread, crusts removed (let them sit out for about an hour to firm up)
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 10 cups of fresh marinara sauce
• FOR THE FRESH BREAD CRUMBS:
• 3 slices of white Italian bread, torn into large pieces
• ¼ cup of freshly grated Romano cheese
• 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

• MAKE THE BREADCRUMB MIXTURE:
• Process the bread in a food processor until coarsely ground.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until finely ground.
• MAKE THE MEATBALLS:
• In a large mixing bowl, using your hands, mix together the beef, veal, pork, and eggs.
• Gently mix, don’t over do it!
• Now add the bread crumbs, parsley, basil, salt, garlic, and pepper and mix it well.
• Tear the bread into pieces and put in a bowl.
• Add the milk and let it sit for about 8 minutes, press the bread with your fingers, make sure the milk is absorbed by the bread.
• Add the soaked bread to the meat mixture and mix it in. Next add the grated cheese, and 1 tablespoon of the milk (discard the remaining milk).
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge about an hour.
• Using an ice cream scoop, pull out chunks of meat and roll them between your hands that have been dampened with water. Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Refrigerate the rolled balls for at least 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pre-heat oven to 375 F.
• Bake meatballs for 30 minutes. Flipping once, halfway through cooking.
• (Alternatively, you can brown the meatballs in a skillet with olive oil - about 1 tablespoon - until browned on all sides).
• Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat the marina over medium-high heat.
• Slowly, and carefully, add the browned meatballs and any accumulated juice to the marina.
• Lower the heat to medium and cook them for at least 45 minutes. Give them plenty of time to let the sauce and meatballs to get very familiar.
• Use tongs to remove the meatballs from the sauce and place in serving bowl. Ladle on a little sauce and grate fresh Parmesan cheese over the top.
• Serve with extra sauce on the side!