Let’s cook!

Three Meat Meatballs with Basic Tomato Sauce

2 cups bread crumbs

2 pounds ground turkey

1 package prosciutto (about 8 slices), diced

8 ounces sweet Italian sausage

3 large eggs

1/2 cup grated Romano

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

3/4 cup fresh chopped Italian parsley

1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine the turkey, prosciutto, sausage, bread crumbs, eggs, 1/4 cup of Romano, the Parm, 1/2 cup of parsley, nutmeg, and 1/4 cup olive oil.

Time to get the hands dirty. Mix all ingredients until completely combined.

Season with salt and pepper. Now roll the mixture into about 3-inch balls.

Place the balls on a baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour. While the meatballs rest time make the Basic Tomato Sauce.

Basic Tomato Sauce

2 – 28oz cans whole tomatoes

1 red onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, chopped

3 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

1/2 medium carrot, shredded

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

In a saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook for about 10 minutes.

Add the thyme and carrot and cook until the carrot is soft, about 8 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, with their juices, and bring to a boil.

Lower the heat and simmer the sauce for 30 – 40 minutes. Season with salt.

Back to the meatballs. In a dutch over or a VERY heavy-bottom saute pan, heat the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over high heat until almost smoking. Add the meatballs and brown on all sides.

Jen took a picture of me while I was cooking the meatballs.

Then she noticed I was getting hot oil on my face and on my shirt and asked where the gift was she bought me. Needless to say I put it on faster than me running to watch the latest score of the game.

Ok back to the meatballs. One the meatballs have browned on all sides, transfer to a plate with a papertowel to drain off the oil.

Drain the oil from the pan and add the wine to get the flavors from the bottom.

Add the tomato sauce to the pan and bring to a boil.

Place the meatballs in the sauce and return to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 – 40 minutes.

Time to plate! For this dinner I made a mushroom Risotto and topped it the meatballs and sauce.

Here is a close-up:

Now you have a meatball recipe that will make you smile as you eat it, and have your friends talking about how awesome it would be to have them as a sandwich the next day.

Happy Cooking!

Homemade Pasta Sauce

1/4 cup olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 green pepper, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 jalapeno, chopped

1 banana pepper, chopped

4 cloves garlic, diced

4 cans diced tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

3 springs fresh thyme

1 small bunch fresh basil, chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan (I use my dutch oven for this) over medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic until they lighly brown.

Add green/red pepper, jalapeno and banana pepper to pan and cook for 5 minutes.

Add basil.

Add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce.

Stir well. Add herb springs (which I tie together using kitchen string) and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 2 hours. Time to make the meatballs.

Meatballs

3 tablespoons Italian bread crumbs

1 pound ground pork

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup shredded parmesan

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 large egg, beaten

1/3 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, pork, beef, parmesan, parsley, salt, onion, garlic, and egg.

Time to get your hands dirty. Mix until everything is combined and season with black pepper.

Using your hands, gently form the meat mixture into slightly larger than golf ball-sized balls. DO NOT PACK THE MEAT MIXTURE TOO TIGHTLY OR YOUR MEATBALLS WILL BE TOUGH!

Refrigerate for an hour (check your sauce).

Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add half of the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally until well browned on all sides.

Transfer the meatballs to a plate with a paper towel on the bottom to drain the oil.

Repeat with the remaining meatballs.

Transfer the meatballs to a cookie sheet that has been covered with foil and lightly coated with olive oil. Place in oven and let bake for 15 – 20 minutes (I cook the linguini while the meatballs are cooking).

Time to plate. Scoop pasta into a bowl and add pasta sauce. Top with meatballs, fresh grated parmesan and basil. Here is how I did it:

Here is the close-up:

So there you have it-you can now make homemade meatballs and sauce!

This next week Jen will be out of town on business so I am going to have a party. Just kidding, I am going to feature cooking for one which will start on Monday. Be sure to come back and check it out!

Have a great weekend!

Happy Cooking!