THE MEATBALL PLACE RECIPES

Steps:

• For the Meatballs: Preheat the oven to 450F
• Drizzle the olive oil into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface
• Set aside
• Combine the ground beef, ricotta, eggs, bread crumbs, parsley, oregano, salt, red pepper flakes, and fennel in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated
• Roll the mixture into round, golf ball-size meatballs (about 1 1/2 inches), making sure to pack the meat firmly
• Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid
• The meatballs should be touching one another
• Roast for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through
• A meat thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should read 165F
• While the meatballs are roasting, heat the tomato sauce in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring often
• When the meatballs are firm and fully cooked, remove them from the oven and drain the excess grease from the pan
• Pour the tomato sauce over them
• Return the meatballs to the oven and continue roasting for another 15 minutes
• For the Classic Tomato Sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat
• Add the onions, bay leaf, oregano, garlic, and salt and cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes
• Add the tomato paste and continue cooking for 5 minutes
• Add the tomatoes and stir constantly until the sauce begins to boil
• Lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring every 5 minutes or so to prevent the sauce on the bottom of the pot from burning
• Taste and season with additional salt, if desired
• Remove the bay leaf before serving

Steps:

• Combine beef, veal, and pork in a large bowl. Add garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add the water 1/2 cup at a time. The mixture should be very moist but still hold its shape if rolled into meatballs. (I usually use about 1 1/4 cups of water). Shape into meatballs.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Fry meatballs in batches. When the meatball is very brown and slightly crisp remove from the heat and drain on a paper towel. (If your mixture is too wet, cover the meatballs while they are cooking so that they hold their shape better.)