Meatballs and tomato sauce is the iconic Italian dish that makes your mouth water and immediately makes you hungry, reminding you of the fragrances and flavors of your childhood. Small and tender balls of ground meat, browned in a pan, cooked for a long time in a basil-flavored tomato sauce. How can you resist? Cooking meatballs is simple but takes some time, both for the preparation of the meat and for the sauce. Like for many other dishes, long-cooking ensures an excellent result.
The meatball with a thousand faces
There is no single type of meatball. The basic recipe includes ground meat, eggs, salt, and pepper, but if you add other ingredients, the taste of your meatballs will become much more delightful. To start with, in addition to the ground beef, you can add ground pork which may be fattier but more flavorful. Or you can add diced ham, mortadella, or sausage. And if you like them a little spiced, add chopped spices or various herbs to some breadcrumbs. Finally, to make them softer, you can mix fresh milk or stale bread that has been soaked in.
The recipe for meatballs and tomato sauce
Take of 1 lb 5 oz of ground meat (beef or mixed, as you prefer), 1 egg, 4 oz of grated Parmigiano Reggiano, minced parsley, breadcrumbs, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper.
For the sauce, 14 oz of tomato pureé, one garlic clove, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh basil.
First, prepare the sauce: in a large pan, brown the garlic in a little oil. When it’s golden, add the tomato purée and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes. Then salt to taste, add the basil and set it aside.
Now take the ground meat, put it in a bowl with the cheese, parsley, egg, salt, and pepper.
Mix well and then, with your hands, make small balls that you will cover with breadcrumbs.
Heat a little extra virgin olive oil in a pan and then brown the meatballs, a few at a time, turning them often until they are golden brown.
Once you’ve cooked them all, add the tomato sauce, cover with a lid, and cook over low heat for about an hour.
Browse the photo gallery for more tips on making the best meatballs and tomato sauce ever!