MEATBALLS AND RIGATONI RECIPES

Steps:

• For the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Place the bread on a baking sheet. Bake until totally dry, about 30 minutes.
• Break the bread into chunks. Pulse in a food processor until the bread turns into crumbs. Throw in the meat into a large mixing bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, milk, parsley, garlic, eggs, salt and some pepper. Use clean hands to mix together until well combined.
• Use a scoop to retrieve a small amount of the meat mixture, and roll it in your hands to make meatballs (about 25). Place on a pan and put the pan in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes, just to firm them up.
• Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Working with 8 to 10 meatballs at a time, cook them until brown but not cooked all the way through, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Remove from the pot to a plate while you make the sauce.
• For the sauce: Add the garlic and onions to the meatball pot. Stir and cook until the onion begins to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook for another minute. (Just omit this step if you're not using wine.) Add the crushed tomatoes, whole tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir the sauce to combine all the ingredients. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If sauce needs more liquid, just add in a little water. Then throw in the parsley, basil and the meat-a-balls! Stir gently, then cover and cook for 20 more minutes, stirring once or twice until the meatballs are cooked through.
• Heap the rigatoni on a large platter and pile the meatballs and sauce on the top. Sprinkle on some extra minced parsley and serve with extra grated Parmesan.

Steps:

• Place the bread on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes in a 200 degrees F oven, or until totally dry.
• Break the bread into chunks . . .
• And pulse [in food processor] until the bread turns into crumbs.
• Throw the meat into a large mixing bowl.
• Add the garlic, bread crumbs, eggs, parsley, grated Parmesan, milk, salt, and pepper. Use clean hands to mix together until well combined.
• Use a scoop to retrieve a small amount of the meat mixture . . . And roll it in your hands to make meatballs (about 25). Place the pan in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes, just to firm them up.
• Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Working with 8 to 10 meatballs at a time, cook them until brown but not cooked all the way through, 2 to 3 minutes per batch.
• Remove from the pan to a plate while you make the rigatoni and sauce.
• Add the onion and garlic to the pan. Stir and cook for a minute or two, until the onion begins to soften.
• Add the wine and cook for another minute. (Just omit this step if you're not using wine.)
• Add the crushed tomatoes...whole tomatoes... salt, pepper, and sugar . . . And parsley and basil.
• Stir the sauce to combine all the ingredients . . . Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Then throw in the meat-a-balls!
• Stir gently, then cover and cook for 20 more minutes, stirring once or twice, until the meatballs are cooked through.
• Heap the rigatoni on a large platter and pile the meatballs and sauce on the top. Sprinkle on some extra minced parsley and serve with extra grated Parmesan.
• This is a good one, my friends.
• I mean . . . i miei amici.
• Sincerely,
• Costanza